Bhubaneswar: Normal life was affected in several parts of Odisha as severe heatwave conditions prevailed in the state, with nine places registering a day temperature of 44 degrees Celsius or above Sunday.
Roads in many places, especially in western Odisha, wore a deserted look during the day as people chose to stay indoors due to the intense hot weather.
The state virtually turned into a boiling pot as the mercury breached the 44-degree mark in nine towns and the 40-degree mark in at least 20 places, with Titlagarh town in Bolangir district being the hottest place at 45.8 degrees Celsius, the IMD’s Bhubaneswar centre said in its evening bulletin.
At 45.6 degrees Celsius, Boudh was the second hottest place of the state for the day, while temperatures were 45.4 degrees Celsius at Bhawanipatna, 45.3 degrees Celsius at Sambalpur and 45.2 degrees Celsius at Sonepur, it said.
Bolangir town recorded a day temperature of 45 degrees Celsius, followed by Jharsuguda (44.8 degrees Celsius), Hirakud (44.5), and Nuapada (44), the bulletin said.
The other places which recorded a maximum temperature of 40 degrees Celsius or above are Angul, Baripada, Sundergarh, Talcher, Phulbani, Malkangiri, Nayagarh, Bargarh, Nabarangpur, Khurda and Rourkela.
There will be no respite from the prevailing hot and humid weather conditions for the next three to four days, as the temperature will almost remain the same, according to the forecast made by the IMD.
The IMD has forecast heatwave conditions and issued an ‘orange warning’ (be prepared to take action) for Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Boudh, and Bolangir districts for Monday.
Similarly, a ‘yellow warning’ (be aware) has been issued for Sonepur, Kalahandi, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghapur, Cuttack, Angul, Dhenkanal, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, and Nayagarh districts for May 25. Even the nights would be warm in Sambalpur and Bolangir districts, it said.
The weather office has also said that a thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind is expected to occur in Balasore, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Gajapati, Ganjam, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghapur, Cuttack, Angul, Dhenkanal, Boudh, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Puri, Khurda, and Nayagarh districts during Monday afternoon or evening hours.
Meanwhile, the state Works department has instructed all concerned officers to ensure that no labourer will be engaged in work during peak hours (11 am to 3 pm).
