Temperature crossed 45 degrees Celsius in Odisha on Saturday as the heat wave intensified across the state.
As per the India Meteorological Department, Boudh and Baripada recorded a maximum day temperature of 45.2 degrees Celsius each on Saturday, becoming the hottest places in the state.
IMD Bhubaneswar weather scientist, Umashankar Dash said, “Boudh and Baripada recorded maximum day temperature of 45.2 degrees Celsius. Similarly, Nuapada also recorded 43.9 degrees Celsius. In the interior Odisha, the temperature was hovering around 43 to 44 degrees Celsius.”
Normal life was thrown out of gear amid rising mercury in Boudh and Baripada. While roads in the cities bore a near-deserted look during peak hours, those, particularly auto rickshaw drivers, bikers, cyclists and pedestrians, who came out of necessity, were seen taking preventive measures like putting on headgear and carrying water bottles. Alleged frequent power cuts added to the woes of the Boudh residents.
“As we had earlier predicted, places like Bolangir, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Gajapati and Ganjam experienced Nor’wester rain today. There would be more Nor’wester rain on April 21 and 22, leading to a decrease of 2 to 3 degrees Celsius. However, temperatures are expected to rise after April 25 till April end,” added Dash.