Jharsuguda: Jharsuguda district is reeling under an intense cold wave as mercury plummeted to 4.6 degrees Celsius Thursday night, breaking a 72-year-old record, according to the Meteorological department.
Weather officials said the district has been witnessing severe cold conditions for the past week, with minimum temperatures consistently remaining below 6 degrees Celsius.
Thursday night marked the coldest temperature recorded in the district in over seven decades.
The extreme cold has significantly affected daily life across the district.
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Normal activities have slowed, with streets in Jharsuguda town getting largely deserted after 9 pm.
Markets and shops are opening later than usual, mostly after 9 am. Authorities confirmed that one elderly person from the Brajarajnagar area died due to cold-related conditions, highlighting the severity of the cold wave.
The Meteorological Department has forecast that the cold wave conditions are likely to persist for another week.