Odisha on Thursday reeled under sweltering heat with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius in at least 25 places, a meteorological department official said.
Mercury level reached 43.5 degrees Celsius at Baripada, the highest temperature this season so far.
Seven places across the state recorded temperatures of 42 degrees Celsius or more on Thursday, while 25 stations witnessed the level of mercury soaring above or at 40 degrees C, the official said, adding that the situation will continue for two more days.
The places which recorded 42 degrees Celsius or more are Angul (42.5), Titlagarh (42.2), Sonepur (42.5) and Talcher, Bhawanipatna and Balangir (42 degrees Celsius each).
Jharsuguda registered 41.8 degrees Celsius, followed by Sambalpur with 41.6 degree and Cuttack with 41.4.
State capital Bhubaneswar sizzled at 40.8 degrees Celsius, Hirakud at 40.6, Jajpur at 40.2, Dhenkanal at 40.5, and Jagatsinghpur at 40.5.
Heat wave condition is very likely to occur at one or two places in Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Sambalpur, Deogarh and Angul districts on Friday, the India Meteorological Department said.
Meanwhile, Special Relief Commissioner Satyabrata Sahu said all the districts were on alert and asked to take various measures to combat the heat wave situation in the state.
He said ‘Jal Chhatras’ (water kiosks) have been opened in strategic locations such as marketplaces and bus stands in rural and urban localities.
Besides, arrangements for the supply of drinking water through tankers have been made in water scarcity areas.
Panchayati Raj department has been directed to immediately start preventive maintenance of tube wells and piped water supply systems if not already taken up, he said.
Sufficient life-saving medicines, saline and ORS packets in dispensaries, health centres and district hospitals have been stocked to meet the requirement.
The state government reviewed the heat wave situation at a meeting chaired by revenue and disaster management minister Pramila Malik.
Keeping in view the intense heat-wave condition, the state government has decided to close all schools and Anganwadi centres till April 16.