Odisha reels under intense heat, Bhubaneswar records 43.3 degree Celsius

Intense heat scorched Odisha on Sunday with state capital Bhubaneswar recording a maximum temperature of 43.3 degrees Celsius, which was five notches higher than the normal, weather officials said.

Twenty-eight places in the coastal state recorded temperatures of more than 40 degrees Celsius, they said.

The mercury may further rise by 3-5 degrees Celsius in the interior parts of the state during the next two days due to the northwesterly-westerly dry air and high solar insolation, they added.

The temperature in Bhubaneswar was the third highest since April 2011. The city had recorded 45.8 degrees Celsius in April 2016 and 43.7 degrees Celsius in April 2019.

Subarnapur town in western Odisha recorded 43.8 degrees Celsius, the highest in the state. The mercury in Cuttack was three degrees above normal at 41.1 degrees Celsius, weather officials said.

The weather office issued a 'Yellow' alert for Subarnapur, Boudh and Bolangir districts of western Odisha for the next four days. A 'Yellow' alert denotes that the heat is tolerable, but there is a slight health concern for vulnerable sections such as the elderlies and infants.

A heatwave occurs when the maximum is 4.5-6.4 notches above normal and at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, or 37 degrees Celsius in the coastal areas.

Mayurbhanj may experience a heatwave for three days from Tuesday, while Kalahandi can bear the brunt on Thursday.

The weather office advised people to take precautionary measures while going outside from 11 am to 3 pm.