Bhubaneswar: Odisha is reeling under intense heatwave conditions, with the mercury soaring to 46 degrees Celsius in the industrial town of Jharsuguda Wednesday, weather officials said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heatwave warning for several districts for the next four days.
As many as 21 places, including Jharsuguda, recorded a day temperature of 40 degrees Celsius or above, of which seven places registered a temperature above 43 degrees Celsius, the IMD’s Bhubaneswar centre said in its evening bulletin.
At 45.3 degrees Celsius, Sambalpur town in western Odisha was the second hottest place of the state, while neighbouring Hirakud town sizzled at 45 degrees Celsius.
Sonepur registered a temperature of 43.9 degrees Celsius, and it was 43.8 degrees Celsius at both Bargarh and the coal town of Talcher. A temperature of 43.3 degrees Celsius was recorded at Bolangir, it said.
The maximum day temperature was 42.8 degrees Celsius at Sundargarh and Bhawanipatna, followed by Angul (42.1 degrees Celsius), and Nayagarh (42 degrees Celsius).
The other places that registered a day temperature of 40 degrees Celsius are Baripada, Keonjhar, Malkangiri, Nayagarh, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Nuapada, Khurda, Kendrapara and Rourkela.
The weather office issued a heatwave warning for several districts till May 24.
For Thursday, an ‘orange warning’ (be prepared to take action) has been issued for Sambalpur and Balangir districts, while Bhadrak, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Angul, Sonepur, Boudh, Nayagarh, Balasore, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghapur, Cuttack, Sundargarh, Bargarh, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, and Khurda districts have been put under ‘yellow warning’ (be aware).
Similar hot weather conditions would prevail in the state for another three days until May 24.
Heat poses a health concern for vulnerable people like infants, the elderly, pregnant women and the sick, the IMD said in an advisory.
Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind would occur in several districts across Odisha during the afternoon or evening hours of Thursday, it said.