Bhubaneswar: As sweltering heat swept Odisha for the third day in a row, the mercury soared above 40 degree Celsius in at least 14 places while Jharsuguda turned out to be the hottest town recording 43 degree Celsius on Wednesday.
According to evening bulletin of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), state capital Bhubaneswar as well as the millennium city of Cuttack recorded 39.8 degree Celsius.
Jharsuguda was followed by the northern Odisha town of Baripada with a temperature of 42.5 degree Celsius. While Sambalpur boiled at 42 degree Celsius, both Boudh and Talcher recorded 41.6 degree Celsius, Balangir & Titlagarh 41.1 degree, Bhadrak, Sundargarh & Sonepur 41 degree, Hirakud 40. 7 degree, Rourkela 40.6 degree and Chandbali 40.3 degree.
At 2.30 pm, Jharsuguda had recorded the highest day temperature of 42.4°C, while the temperature stood at 39.4 degree in Bhubaneswar.
The MeT office has forecast further rise in temperature by 2 to 3°C during the next 2 days. The day temperature is likely to be more than 40°C and remain 3 to 5°C above normal at a few places in Odisha during the next 4 days. Heatwave warning has also been issued for several districts of the state till 8.30 am on April 16.
Nine places in Odisha recorded 40 degree Celsius and above with Baripada being the hottest at 41.6 degree Celsius on Tuesday.