Cold wave, dense fog cripples tourism, daily life across Odisha; IMD puts 17 districts on alert

Severe cold conditions accompanied by dense fog continued to disrupt normal life across Odisha, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing weather warnings for 17 districts on Friday.

As of the latest update from the weather department, 14 districts remain under a yellow alert, while an orange alert has been sounded for three districts due to extremely poor visibility and intense cold conditions.

Dense Fog Paralyses Life

Sources reported that dense to very dense fog has been recorded across large parts of the state, significantly reducing visibility on roads and highways. In several locations, visibility levels have dropped below 50 metres, creating hazardous travel conditions during early morning hours.

Districts witnessing particularly dense fog include Subarnapur, Boudh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Khurda, Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur and Bhadrak. Further, the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar also saw a continuation of the intense fog conditions that began on the first day of the New Year.

The IMD noted that although fog intensity showed a marginal decline compared to Thursday, conditions remain severe in many pockets. Meanwhile, the cold wave has intensified across interior and western Odisha, affecting both urban and rural areas.

Temperatures Remain Below Normal

Reports stated that cold conditions continued to intensify across the state, with Kandhamal district’s Daringbadi recording the lowest temperature. The mercury there dropped below 8 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest location in Odisha.

Several other cities and towns recorded minimum temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, including Phulbani, G. Udayagiri, Koraput, Rourkela, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Angul, Nabarangpur and Kirei.

The IMD has forecast that the prevailing cold wave and fog conditions are likely to persist for at least the next four days, with no significant improvement expected in minimum temperatures during this period.

Also Read: Flights grounded at Bhubaneswar airport, only one departure on dense fog-laden New Year morning

Severe Impact In Western Odisha

In the Bonai subdivision of Sundargarh district, dense fog continued to blanket the region until late morning hours, with visibility in some areas dropping to as low as 15 metres.

Roads, bridges and open fields remained shrouded in thick fog, severely affecting movement. Local reports indicate that fog often persists until 10 am or later, while night-time conditions have become increasingly difficult for commuters and residents.

The ongoing tourist season has also been affected, as visitors travelling from distant places reported difficulties navigating fog-covered roads. Tourists returning from the Khandadhar waterfall said visibility was so poor that movement became challenging, particularly during early morning and evening hours.

Similarly, yesterday in Chilika, dense fog led to hazardous conditions for ferry operations, with one person reported missing from an operating vessel.