Bhubaneswar, April 7: Intense heat has gripped Odisha with capital Bhubaneswar recording the season’s highest temperature of 43.2 degrees Celsius, about five degrees more than Tuesday.
Wednesday’s temperature is the highest for April and crossed the 43 degrees Celsius mark of 2010, weatherman said.
IMD recorded temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius in 16 towns across the state. Bhubaneswar was followed by 42 degrees Celsius in Sundergarh and Malkangiri, 41 at Balasore, Chandbali, Jharsuguda, Bolangir, while Sonepur recorded 41.2 degrees Celsius and Talcher 41.6 degrees Celsius.
“As the cloud cover was removed last night and hot winds from central India blew into the plains, the temperature shot up,” Sarat Sahu, Director of IMD, Bhubaneswar, said.
Sahu said the situation may improve if there is thundershowers in some parts of the state tonight. “As there is no sign of hailstorm, there seems to be no respite from the heat,” he said.
He said there is a steady rise in temperature every year during summers. On April 9, 2010 the temperature was recorded at 43.6 degrees Celsius, but 2011 saw a slight dip. In every year after that the temperature has been higher than 42 degrees Celsius in the third and fourth week of April.
