Bhubaneswar: With intense heatwave continuing its vicious run across Odisha, the mercury soared to 38.4°C in Baripada by 8.30 am on Tuesday.
Talcher was close second at 37.8°C, followed by Balasore (36.6°C), Keonjhar (36.4°C), Cuttack (35.8°C), Bhadrak (35°C), Rourkela (35°C), Bhawanipatna (34.8°C), Bhubaneswar (34.6°C), Jharsuguda (34.6°C), Hirakud (34.4°C), Chandbali (34.2°C), Balangir (34°C), Kendrapada (34°C) and Angul (34°C).
According to India Meteorological Department, heatwave to severe heatwave condition may prevail in the districts of Khurda, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Boudh, Angul and Cuttack during the day.
Heatwave condition is also likely in Sambalpur, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Balangir, Sonepur, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Khurda, Ganjam, Gajapati, Nayagarh, Nabarangpur, Deogarh, Nuapada Sundergarh, Rayagada, and Jharsugada.
Hot and humid weather warning has also been issued for Nabarangpur, Gopalpur, Bargarh, Rayagada, Koraput, and Puri.
The heatwave conditions may persist till May 3 during which the day temperature is likely to remain 3-6°C above normal in some districts.
On Monday, Baripada in Mayurbhanj district was the hottest place in the state at 44.8°C, followed by Angul (44.3°C), Boudh (44.1°C), Talcher (44°C), Titilagarh (43.5°C), Dhenkanal (43.2°C) and Nayagarh, Malkangiri, Balangir, Keonjhar and Nuapada at 43°C each. Bhubaneswar recorded 41.3°C showing considerable drop in temperature, while the mercury stood at 42.5°C in Cuttack city.
The state has already experienced 17 heatwave days in two spells this month against the usual of 11 between April and June. With hot weather condition dangerously tightening its grip over Odisha and weather agency predicting continuation of the same till May 9, this season could turn out to be the worst since since 1998 when the state had seen 27 heatwave days between mid-April and May.
