Bhubaneswar: With heatwave-like condition continuing in parts of western Odisha since last 2 to 3 days, Titlagarh in Balangir district on Friday was hottest in the state at 43.5°C. Mercury at 10 more towns in this pocket was also hovering at 40°C to over 42°C during the day. Balangir at 42.3°C recorded the day’s second highest temperature in the state.IMD further forecast that heatwave warning would continue in nine western Odisha districts during next three days from Saturday. Those districts are Sundargarh, Nuapada, Jharsuguda, Balangir, Kalahandi, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sonepur and Boudh. There will be also warm night condition warning in three districts of Sundargarh, Balangir and Sambalpur, the forecast said.Close on the heels of IMD’s heatwave warning and sharp rise in mercury level in the locality, the district administration of Balangir has declared holiday for schools in its jurisdiction for next three days till April 21, an official report said. An IMD bulletin said hot and humid condition warning would also continue in 12 coastal Odisha districts for next six days.Besides, thunderstorm activity warning accompanied by lightning and gusty surface wind would also continue in some districts for five days from Saturday, the bulletin added. Manorama Mohanty, head of regional IMD centre said wind pattern would support intense heat condition in western Odisha pockets for at least three days.In the wake of IMD’s heat warning, the state govt kept district collectors on alert and issued advisory to take needful steps. The office of special relief commissioner (SRC) wrote a letter to collectors, said a govt official.
