Odisha sizzles as mercury soars

Bhubaneswar: Odisha sizzled amid scorching heat as mercury crossed the 40 degree mark in various places with Jharsuguda being the hottest at 45 degrees Celsius. The regional office of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) further predicted that the heat wave condition will prevail for few more days.

As per IMD sources western Odisha was the worst affected with maximum temperature of 44.7 degrees Celsius recorded in Bolangir town, 44.1 degrees at Hirakud, 44 degrees at Titlagarh, 43.7 degrees at Sonepur, 43.6 degrees at Sambalpur, 43.5 degrees at Angul and 43.2 degrees Celsius at Bhawanipatna.

Keonjhargarh recorded 41.5 degrees Celsius, while the mercury stood at 41 degrees in Phulbani town and Malkangiri.

Bhubaneswar recorded a maximum temperature of 36.5 degrees, while mercury stood at 35.6 degrees in neighbouring Cuttack. There was little respite from the scorching heat in most places of interior part of Odisha.

However, some areas of the coastal belt got some relief because of a thunder squall.

Two sunstroke deaths have so far been reported in the state, one each from Bargarh and Angul district, according to the office of the Special Relief Commissioner.