Bhubaneswar: Most areas in Odisha remained under the grip of heat wave as 21 places recorded temperature of 40 degrees Celsius or more on Thursday.
According to the evening bulletin of the regional centre of India Meteorological Department (IMD), Sonepur was the hottest place in the state with 44.2 degree Celsius. It was followed by Nuapada with 44 degree Celsius.
As many as 15 places reeled under 42 degree Celsius or more. While Sambalpur and Jharsuguda sizzled with 43.9 degree, Hirakud recorded 43.8, Titlagarh, Rourkela, Bargarh and Balangir registered 43.5 degree temperature.
Sundargarh experienced the heat wave with 42.1 degree while Boudh, Bhawanipatna and Deogarh recorded 42 degree Celsius. The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack reported maximum temperature of 38.2and 37.5 degree Celsius on the day.
The IMD has forecast that there will be no large change in maximum temperature (day temperature) at many places in the state during next 5 days. It is likely to be 42 degree Celsius or more at a few places of interior Odisha including Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Angul, Boudh, Sonepur, Bargarh, Balangir and Kalahandi.
However, the Met office has issued yellow warning and stated that thunderstorm with lightning and gusty surface
wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph are very likely to occur at one or two places in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Khurda, Gajapati, Ganjam and thunderstorm with lightning is very likely to occur at one or two places in Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Nayagarh and Kandhamal.