14 towns record 40 plus temp

Bhubaneswar: At least 14 towns in Odisha on Monday recorded maximum temperature at or above 40 degrees Celsius with Jharsuguda being the hottest place in the State at 45.4 degrees Celsius, the IMD said. The industrial town of Jharsuguda was the second hottest place in the country after Chandrapur in Maharashtra which recorded a maximum temperature of 45.6 degrees Celsius, the IMD said.

Jharsuguda was followed by Boudh (43.2), Titlagarh, Sambalpur and Sundargarh (43), Bhawanipatna (42.5), Hirakud at 42.4, Bolangir (42.3), Sonepur (42.1) and Rourkela (42). With heatwave conditions sweeping the State, Public Health Director Dr Nilakantha Mishra on Monday said that 49 cases of heat-related illness with several patients requiring hospitalisation have been reported.

“Till April 20, Sambalpur district reported 40 cases related to heat illness while Deogarh reported six cases. Khurda, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts reported one case each,” Mishra said.

Replying to a question, the Public Health Director said no sunstroke death has been reported from any part of the State. He advised people to take necessary precautions and avoid going outside unless urgent between 11 am and 3 pm.

The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded maximum temperatures of 36 degrees Celsius and 35.8 respectively. However, Bhubaneswar experienced uncomfortable sultry weather due to the high humidity level of 89 per cent.

The IMD forecast said the day temperature is expected to rise by 3-5 degrees Celsius during the next three days.

“Maximum temperature is likely to be above 42 degrees Celsius in Angul, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Bolangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Bargarh, Kalahandi and Nuapada,” the IMD said.

The IMD issued a “Yellow warning” (be aware) of heatwave conditions likely in the western Odisha districts of Jharsuguda, Bolangir, Sundargarh and Sambalpur for Tuesday and Wednesday.