Bhubaneswar: Odisha has virtually turned into a cauldron for the past few days and the mercury shot up to 39.2 degree Celsius in Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur by 11.30 am on Thursday.
Jharsuguda logged 38.4 degree Celsius followed by Hirakud (37.4), Chandbali (35.6) and Keonjhar and Balasore at 35 degree Celsius each, according to regional centre of India Meteorological Department (IMD) here.
The maximum temperature may soar to 44 degree Celsius in Sambalpur and Balangir during the day with the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack at 40 degree Celsius each, the Met office said in a forecast. It had also predicted light to moderate rain or thunderstorm, lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph in some parts of Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Balangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Rayagada and Kandhamal till 2.15 pm. People have been advised to keep a watch on the weather and accordingly move to safer places to protect themselves from lightning strike.
On Wednesday, at least 25 places recorded maximum temperature at or above 40 degrees Celsius. The day temperature breached the 42 degrees Celsius mark in at least nine places, including Bhubaneswar (42.8). Nuapada was the hottest place in the state with the mercury touching 44 degrees Celsius there, followed by Jharsuguda (43.4), Talcher (43.2), Angul (43.1) and Sambalpur (42.9). Cuttack recorded 41.6 degree Celsius.
According to Wednesday bulletin, there will be no large change in the day temperature during the next 5 days and the mercury may soar up to 42°C or more at a few places in interior Odisha – Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Angul, Boudh, Sonepur, Balangir, Jharsuguda and Bargarh – during the next 3 days. “Consequently, hot & discomfort weather very likely to prevail and people are advised to take precautionary while going outside during day time between 11 am and 3 pm,” it added.
