Bhubaneswar: The mercury soared to 44.8°C in Jharsuguda by 2.30 pm on Tuesday amid the prevailing severe heatwave warning.
Sambalpur was close second at 44.2°C followed by Hirakud (44°C) and Rourkela (42.2°C).
Besides Jharsuguda, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange warning of heatwave for one or two places in Boudh, Balangir, Sundargarh and Sambalpur districts on April 22. Yellow warning has also been sounded for Nuapada, Bargarh, Kalahandi and Sonepur.
Hot and humid conditions may also prevail at one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati and warn night at one or two places in Sambalpur, Sundargarh, and Balangir.
The weather agency has also warned of thunderstorm/lightning with gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph in the afternoon/evening hours at one or two places in Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.
Severe heatwave conditions are likely to persist in Jharsuguda till April 24 with hot and dry north-westerly winds blowing inwards.
It further stated that the day temperature is likely to rise by 2-4°C during the next 3 days. “There will be no large change during the subsequent 2 days and fall by 2-4°C thereafter across Odisha.” The maximum temperature may soar past 43°C in Angul, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Bargarh and Nuapada.
The IMD has warned of heat cramps and heat rash during peak hours of the day (11 am to 3 pm). People have been advised to avoid prolonged heat
exposure, drink sufficient water and schedule strenuous jobs to cooler times of the day. “Recognize the signs of heat stroke, heat rash or heat cramps such as weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, sweating and seizures. If you feel faint or ill, see a doctor/ hospital immediately,” it added.
Notably, Odisha has recorded around 49 cases of heat-related illnesses till April 20. However, these cases were neither related to heat stroke nor the patients required hospital admission.
CHECK THE WARNINGS FOR NEXT 4 DAYS
While there is no warning thereafter, light to moderate rain may occur in the afternoon/evening hours at a few places in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sonepur, Boudh, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and at one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati on April 27.
There is a similar forecast for a few places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Sundargarh and one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Dhenkanal, and Angul districts on April 28 with little change in the weather conditions during the subsequent 3 days.