Koraput: Thursday night was the coldest in the district so far with the mercury plunging to nine degree Celsius.
The cold wave has affected many areas of the district with night temperatures dipping below 10 degree Celsius, derailing normal life.
The weather has turned foggy in both the hills and plains of Koraput and Jeypore sub-divisions.
While night temperatures hover below nine degree Celsius in the hills, the plains recorded 11 degree Celsius. Dense fog covers the hilly pockets of Koraput and Sunki till 10 am.
People woke up to thick fog Friday and visibility was zero in several areas of the district.
Thursday, the day temperature was 23 degree Celsius, three degrees below normal. The sharp dip in day and night temperatures has forced people to stay indoors.
The cold wind blowing across the district has neutralised the sun’s warmth. Roads and streets look deserted after sundown.
The chilly weather is likely to intensify in the next few days and that would be beneficial for vegetable cultivation.
The zero visibility affected vehicle movement, especially on the NH between Koraput and Sunki near Andhra Pradesh. Heavy vehicle drivers were the worst hit. The fog and the mist on windscreens made driving a nightmare.
“Night driving is becoming difficult as we can hardly see anything at midnight. We have to drive cautiously. Dense fog is found in high altitude areas till 9 am,” said Simanchal Palo, the driver of a night express bus, which operates from Jeypore to Bhubaneswar.
Malay Patra, a professional photographer, said November was wonderful for photography as during mornings the mountains used to acquire a golden hue. The roads and trees were covered with fog, and the greenery gave the feel of tourist spots like Kulu and Manali, he said.
A source said the cold wave is severe in areas like Lamataput, Machkund, Padwa, Boipariguda, Nandapur, Pottangi and Narayanpatna in the district.
As the district administration has failed to provide shelters for the homeless who sleep in markets, bus stands and shop verandas many people were seen distributing warm clothes to the poor in Jeypore and Koraput towns.
Officials at the district emergency centre said no casualties were reported due to the cold wave in the district.
Meanwhile, the weatherman has warned that the mercury is likely to dip further in the coming days.
PNN
