With no respite from the sweltering heat that is sweeping across Odisha, the East Coast Railway has installed a mist cooling system at Sambalpur Junction Railway Station.
The installation of mist cooling system aims at helping the passengers beat the grueling heatwave and to provide them comfort at the platform while waiting for the trains.
Meanwhile, people of Odisha heaved a sigh of relief on Wednesday after days of intense heat as thunderstorms and rain on the previous night brought down the mercury by several notches across the state, the Met office said.
The maximum temperature fell by around 2-4 degrees Celsius in several places and was below normal in some towns. The minimum temperature also plunged by around two-five notches in many areas, the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre said.
Only eight weather stations, as compared to 18 on the previous day, recorded a maximum temperature of 40 degrees Celsius or more, the Met office said.
The highest temperature in the state was recorded in Boudh at 42.5 degrees Celsius. In capital Bhubaneswar, it was 38.2 degrees Celsius, and 37.4 degrees Celsius in neighbouring Cuttack, the weather office said.
Thunderstorms with light to moderate rainfall occurred at many places across the state. There was heavy downpour in a few areas of Cuttack, Koraput and Puri districts over a 24-hour period till 8.30 am.
Banki town in Cuttack recorded 90 mm rainfall, the highest in the state. The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack received 17.7 mm and 29.2 mm of rain respectively, the Met said.
The weatherman forecast rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph in the state over the next three days. However, there will be no large change in the maximum temperature in the next four-five days.