Odisha braces for intense heatwave as temperatures set to rise further

Bhubaneswar, May 9: With the return of heatwave conditions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that day temperatures in Odisha are likely to rise by 3°C to 5°C over the next six to seven days.

On Friday, the IMD’s Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar issued a yellow warning, forecasting hot and humid conditions, along with heatwave alerts for many parts of the state, valid till May 14.

Despite isolated nor’wester showers in some regions, several areas of coastal Odisha have already experienced a noticeable spike in temperatures. On Thursday, Boudh recorded the state’s highest maximum temperature at 39.8°C. However, in the coming days, temperatures are expected to rise even further, with many places likely to see the mercury soar to 41°C or more.

Kalbaisakhi (pre-monsoon thunderstorms) may bring some relief to certain areas, but scorching heat is expected to prevail across most parts of the state. The IMD has issued heatwave warnings for 11 districts including Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati.

Residents have been advised to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, stay hydrated, and take all necessary precautions as the oppressive heat is likely to persist in the coming days.