Bhubaneswar: Odisha reels under scorching heat

Bhubaneswar : Intense heat wave conditions continued to prevail across Odisha with the mercury shooting up to 43.5 degrees Celsius in Bhubaneswar on Friday.

According to a bulletin issued by IMD’s Bhubaneswar Centre, at least nine places, including Bhubaneswar, recorded a maximum temperature of 42 deg C or above during the day.

The maximum day temperature at Paralakhemundi was 42.6 deg C, it was 42.4 deg C at Talcher, 42.2 deg C at Malkangiri and Boudh, 42.1 deg C at Angul, and 42 deg C each at Bolangir, Titilagarh and Nayagarh. A total of 25 places in Odisha witnessed a maximum temperature of 40 deg C or above during the day.

The IMD centre said the maximum day temperature would be more than 40 deg C and likely to be above normal by 3 to 5 deg C at many places over Odisha on Saturday.

From April 7 to 10, the temperature is likely to come down by 2 to 4 deg C as most of the places in the State are likely to receive thunderstorms and rain during April 7, 8 and 9, said IMD’s weather scientist Umashankar Das.

Forecasting heat wave conditions on April 6, the weather office has issued a yellow warning (be updated) for the districts of Khurda, Cuttack, Keonjhar, Boudh, Malkangiri, Nayagarh, Angul, Bolangir, Kandhamal, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj and Jharsuguda.

The IMD centre has advised people to take precautionary measures while going outside during the day (11 am to 3 pm) and not to leave children or pets in parked vehicles. Election rallies/gatherings need to be judiciously monitored during peak hours of the day (11 am to 3 pm), it said.

People attending the rallies are advised to take necessary precautions to avoid prolonged exposure in high humidity and temperature areas, the advisory said.

Meanwhile, Odisha Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Satyabrata Sahu has directed Municipal Commissioners of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Rourkela to open ‘Jala Chhatras’ (drinking water kiosks) to provide drinking water to commuters.

The State Labour department has asked all offices not to engage workers from 11 am to 3.30 pm due to the heat wave condition. The offices have to provide shelter/drinking water in the worksites.