Bhubaneswar: Intense heat wave condition in the past 48 hours has thrown life out of gear across Odisha with mercury breaching the 40 degree Celsius mark in eight places on Saturday.
As per the lastest forecast by Bhubaneswar Regional Meteorological Centre, temperature in several parts of the state is mostly likely to be around 40 Degree Celsius in the next 24 hours.
However, there are chances of thunderstorm at isolated parts of the State with strong and gusty surface winds reaching 40 to 50 kmph also likely to prevail along and off the Odisha coast.
"Although the southwest monsoon reached Odisha on June 8 two days ahead of the scheduled date, the rise in temperature again is creating problems for us," said Kishore Panigrahi, a resident of Bhubaneswar.
As per the bulletin of the met department, Baripada recorded a maximum temperature of 41.4 degree Celsius followed by Talcher with 40.8 while Bhubaneswar sizzled at 40.2 degree Celsius yesterday.
Keeping in view the intense heat wave conditions, Odisha government has also extended the summer vacations in schools by three days. Now all schools across the state will reopen on June 21 instead of June 18, read a notification of School & Mass Education Department.