No Respite From Heat Wave In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Despite a marginal fall in the day temperature at some places in Odisha, there was no respite from the intense heat wave across the state on Tuesday.

According to an evening release by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Balangir recorded the highest temperature at 41.5 °C while the mercury remained over 40 degrees in Bhubaneswar (41.2), Angul (40.5), Talcher (41.1), Sonepur (41), Nayagarh (40) and Boudh (40.5).

Going by the mid-day bulletin issued by the national weather agency earlier in the day, the maximum day temperature is likely to be above normal by 2-3°C over the districts of coastal Odisha during next 2-3 days and while it will be 40°C or more in some places over the remaining districts during the next 3-4 days as the cyclonic circulation over east Bangladesh and neighbourhood has become less marked.

April 15
Thunderstorm with lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph at one or two places over the districts of Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Balasore and Bhadrak.

Thunderstorm with lightning at one or two places over the districts of Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Ganjam, Keonjhar and Jajpur.

April 16
Thunderstorm with lightning at one or two places over the districts of Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Koraput, Gajapati and Ganjam.

April 17
Thunderstorm with lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph at one or two places over the districts of  Gajapati, Ganjam, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda and Puri.

Thunderstorm with lightning at one or two places over the districts of Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Rayagada and Koraput.

April 18
Thunderstorm with lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph at one or two places over the districts of  Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nayagarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Balasore.

In view of the heat wave condition, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena has directed the district collectors has asked them to spare some time out of their busy COVID-19 management schedule to take a review with all concerned officers at district and sub-district level and ensure that all preparedness measures to combat heat wave are in place.

He also asked the collectors to ensure uninterrupted water supply arrangement to all hospitals/ dispensaries including PHCs/ CHCs, veterinary hospitals/ dispensaries and lift irrigation centres.

The SRC also directed the collectors to advise the people to maintain social distancing protocols at these drinking water distribution points and make necessary water arrangements for the stray animals in rural and urban areas and the wild animals in the reserved forests.