Boudh leads heat chart; 4 out of top 5 hottest places in India from Odisha | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: Four of the top-five hottest places in the country on Sunday are from Odisha with Boudh, at 43.6 degrees Celsius, emerging on top for the second successive day as the state battled heatwave conditions.
Boudh, which had recorded a temperature of 42.5°C on Saturday, was followed by the towns of Jharsuguda (42°C), Balangir (41.7°C) and Angul (41.1°C) with Chandrapur (41.6°C) in Maharashtra taking the fourth spot on Sunday.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red warning for multiple districts, cautioning residents against heat-related illnesses until March 19, when there could be some respite on account of rain. Till then, severe heatwave conditions are expected to persist in many districts.
“A red warning has been issued for Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Kalahandi, Sonepur and Boudh, where temperatures are expected to remain significantly high. Maximum temperatures were markedly above normal by about 5-7°C at many places over the districts of interior Odisha,” said Manorama Mohanty, director of IMD’s Bhubaneswar centre.
An orange warning has also been issued for Angul, Balangir and Sundargarh, while Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal and Gajapati are under a yellow warning. The IMD has urged people to take necessary precautions and avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, especially between 11 am and 3 pm.
“Hot and dry wind blowing from the northwest direction, absence of rain for close to two months, and lack of moisture in the atmosphere are the reasons for increasing day temperatures in March,” Mohanty said, adding that the maximum temperature had crossed 44°C in the past. “This severe heatwave condition is not unusual,” she said.
The Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has directed all district collectors to take precautionary measures to mitigate the impact of extreme heat. Residents across the state are struggling to cope with the sweltering conditions. In Boudh, where temperatures peaked on Sunday, locals described the heat as unbearable. “We are experiencing extreme discomfort. Stepping out in the afternoon feels like walking into a furnace,” said Ramesh Pradhan, a shopkeeper.
In the capital city, where the mercury reached 36.8°C, high humidity level added to the distress. “Even though the temperature is lower than in western Odisha districts, the humidity makes it extremely difficult to stay outdoor,” said Swati Das, a college student. Bhubaneswar recorded a maximum temperature of 36.6°C on Sunday.
While the heatwave is expected to persist for the next couple of days, the IMD has predicted a slight drop in temperature from Wednesday onwards. “A gradual decline of 2-4°C is likely after three days, bringing some relief to the affected regions. Thunderstorms and rain are likely to occur in several districts from Wednesday,” the IMD official added.
On Sunday evening, a few places in the state witnessed rain, while the IMD predicted light to moderate rain in the districts of Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Balasore and Mayurbhanj.
Boudh, which had recorded a temperature of 42.5°C on Saturday, was followed by the towns of Jharsuguda (42°C), Balangir (41.7°C) and Angul (41.1°C) with Chandrapur (41.6°C) in Maharashtra taking the fourth spot on Sunday.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red warning for multiple districts, cautioning residents against heat-related illnesses until March 19, when there could be some respite on account of rain. Till then, severe heatwave conditions are expected to persist in many districts.
“A red warning has been issued for Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Kalahandi, Sonepur and Boudh, where temperatures are expected to remain significantly high. Maximum temperatures were markedly above normal by about 5-7°C at many places over the districts of interior Odisha,” said Manorama Mohanty, director of IMD’s Bhubaneswar centre.
An orange warning has also been issued for Angul, Balangir and Sundargarh, while Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal and Gajapati are under a yellow warning. The IMD has urged people to take necessary precautions and avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, especially between 11 am and 3 pm.
“Hot and dry wind blowing from the northwest direction, absence of rain for close to two months, and lack of moisture in the atmosphere are the reasons for increasing day temperatures in March,” Mohanty said, adding that the maximum temperature had crossed 44°C in the past. “This severe heatwave condition is not unusual,” she said.
The Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has directed all district collectors to take precautionary measures to mitigate the impact of extreme heat. Residents across the state are struggling to cope with the sweltering conditions. In Boudh, where temperatures peaked on Sunday, locals described the heat as unbearable. “We are experiencing extreme discomfort. Stepping out in the afternoon feels like walking into a furnace,” said Ramesh Pradhan, a shopkeeper.
In the capital city, where the mercury reached 36.8°C, high humidity level added to the distress. “Even though the temperature is lower than in western Odisha districts, the humidity makes it extremely difficult to stay outdoor,” said Swati Das, a college student. Bhubaneswar recorded a maximum temperature of 36.6°C on Sunday.
While the heatwave is expected to persist for the next couple of days, the IMD has predicted a slight drop in temperature from Wednesday onwards. “A gradual decline of 2-4°C is likely after three days, bringing some relief to the affected regions. Thunderstorms and rain are likely to occur in several districts from Wednesday,” the IMD official added.
On Sunday evening, a few places in the state witnessed rain, while the IMD predicted light to moderate rain in the districts of Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Balasore and Mayurbhanj.
