Bhubaneswar: Even as the arrival of monsoon in Kerala has been delayed by severe cyclonic storm in Arabian Sea, Odisha continued to reel under heatwave with as many as 20 places recording temperature of 40 degree Celsius on Wednesday.
According to evening bulletin of the regional centre of India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Bhubaneswar, mercury breached 43 degree Celsius in 6 places of the state.
Sambalpur remained the hottest place with 44.5 degree Celsius while another western Odisha town, Sonepur sizzled under 44 degree Celsius on the day.
Sonepur was followed by Jharsuguda and Hirakud with 43.6 degree Celsius, Balangir 43.5 degree, Titlagarh and Boudh 43 degree. All these places belong to western Odisha.
If today’s temperature was not enough, the IMD has forecast that maximum temperature (day temperature) is very likely to rise about 2 degree Celsius at a few places in the state during next 2 days. The temperature is likely to be above normal by 3-5 degree Celsius at a few places.
Due to rise in temperature, hot and discomfort weather is likely during next 4-5 days. People are advised to take precautionary measures while going outside during 11 am and 3 pm, the IMD said.
The weather office has also issued yellow warning and said thunderstorm with lightning is very likely to
occur at one or two places in the districts of Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Nuapada by 8.30 am on Thursday.