As Odisha battles through a relentless heatwave, there seems to be little relief in sight, with the Meteorological Department projecting the maximum daytime temperature to soar to 45°C within the next 24 hours.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reports that a heatwave is currently affecting several areas in Odisha, including districts like Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Khordha, Nayagarh, and Ganjam along the coast, as well as isolated places in Mayurbhanj, Boudh, Dhenkanal, Nawarangpur, and Keonjhargarh in the interior regions.
On Saturday, the IMD recorded the highest maximum temperature of 44.3°C in Boudh, while the lowest temperature of 20.5°C was registered at Phulbani in the Odisha plains.
The scorching conditions persisted on Saturday, with temperatures anticipated to range between 44 and 45°C in various districts including Mayurbhanj, Boudh, Keonjhar, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Nuapada, Sundargarh, and Jharsuguda over the following 24 hours.
Manorama Mohanty, director of IMD Bhubaneswar, highlighted the ongoing heatwave across large swathes of Odisha for the past few days, emphasizing its likely continuation for the next two to three days. She indicated that 27 cities in the region recorded temperatures exceeding 41°C, with a heatwave warning issued for certain areas over the next 24 hours. Mohanty further stated that the heatwave conditions would persist predominantly in coastal and interior Odisha on April 21.
Earlier in the week, in response to the IMD’s heatwave forecast, the state government announced the closure of all schools from April 18 to 20.
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A yellow alert has been issued for several districts including Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, Balasore, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Khurda, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Nayagarh, and Kandhamal.
Meanwhile, parts of neighbouring Uttar Pradesh are also experiencing oppressive heat, with Varanasi and surrounding areas in Purvanchal witnessing maximum daytime temperatures nearing 43°C, as reported by the IMD.
A heatwave, characterized by prolonged periods of exceptionally hot weather, typically with high temperatures and elevated humidity levels, continues to pose challenges for affected regions. Such extreme weather conditions are gauged relative to the area’s usual climate and seasonal norms.
