The India Meteorological Department in Bhubaneswar has cautioned that heat waves, warm nights, and hot, humid conditions will continue across various parts of Odisha in the coming days. Director of the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre, Manorama Mohanty, highlighted that temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius at 21 locations in the state within the last 24 hours.
Notably, Jharsuguda recorded the highest maximum temperature in Odisha, reaching 46 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. Additionally, Sambalpur and Hirakud experienced soaring temperatures of 45.3 and 45 degrees Celsius, respectively. Several other areas in the state also witnessed temperatures surpassing 40 degrees Celsius on the same day.
An orange warning has been issued by the India Meteorological Department, indicating that heat wave to severe heat wave conditions are expected in specific locations in Sambalpur and Balangir districts on Thursday. Moreover, isolated places in various districts including Bhadrak, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Angul, Sonepur, Boudh, and Nayagarh have been placed under an orange warning for the same day.
The weather agency has forecasted warm night conditions in isolated spots in Sambalpur and Balangir districts, along with hot and humid conditions in select areas of Balasore, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Sundargarh, Bargarh, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, and Khurda districts. Heatwave conditions are anticipated to persist in numerous districts of the state for the next few days, with chances of isolated thunderstorm activity in a couple of districts.
To mitigate heat-related risks, the India Meteorological Department has advised the public to minimize direct sun exposure, especially between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., and recommended staying indoors as much as possible. Special caution has been advised for vulnerable groups like infants, elderly individuals, and those with chronic ailments, due to heightened health risks in the prevailing weather conditions.
