Phulbani: Normal life in parts of Odisha was severely affected Thursday due to intense cold as the minimum temperature remained below 10 degrees Celsius in at least 15 places in 11 of the 30 districts, an official said.
While the minimum temperature at hill station Semiliguda in Koraput district was recorded at 3.5 degrees Celsius, Phulbani, the district headquarters of Kandhamal, shivered at 5.2 degrees Celsius, the IMD said.
Officials said that the cold wave that has been sweeping across Kandhamal district for the past fortnight has been forcing people to remain indoors from 6 pm to 9 am.
Other cold locations in the district included G. Udaygiri, where temperatures hovered around 4–6 degrees Celsius for the past fortnight, and Daringbadi at 7 degrees Celsius.
Homeless people in interior pockets of G. Udaygiri, Daringbadi, Kotagarh, Tumudibandha, Raikia, and Belghar have been the worst affected, keeping fires burning throughout the night to cope with the severe cold, officials said.
Fishes in water bodies and birds in forests were found dead this morning in some interior areas of Kandhamal, a forest department official said. The official added that vegetable and banana cultivation have also suffered due to the intense cold.
Kandhamal district authorities have urged Block Development Officers to set up additional night shelters for the homeless and ensure the distribution of blankets in vulnerable areas, an official said.
Districts which have recorded below 10 degrees Celsius were Kandhamal, Koraput, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Bolangir, Sambalpur, Sundergarh, Angul, Jharsuguda and Keonjhar.
