Heat intensifies in Odisha, Balangir hottest

Bhubaneswar: Blistering heat intensified in most parts of Odisha on Friday with Balangir becoming the hottest place in the state at 44.5 degree Celsius.

Entire western Odisha and some other areas virtually turned into a boiling cauldron as the mercury breached the 40 degree Celsius mark in at least 13 places, the met office said.

Titlagarh was a close second to Balangir recording 44 degree celsius, while it was 43.7 degrees at Angul, 43 degree C at Jharsuguda, Hirakud and Bhawanipatna, 42.6 degrees at Malkangiri, 42.5 degrees at Sundargarh and 42 degrees at Sambalpur and Sonepur, it said.

Phulbani town recorded a maximum temperature of 41.4 degree Celsius, while the mercury stood at 40.5 degrees at Keonjhargarh and 40.2 degrees at Chandbali, it said.

The maximum temperature in Bhubaneswar was 38.2 degree Celsius and 37.5 degrees in Cuttack city, the met office said.

Sunstroke has claimed at least three lives in the state so far this summer with casualties reported from Bargarh, Angul and Balangir districts, the Special Relief Commissioner's office said.