Daringbadi/Barbil: Normal life has been crippled in several parts across the state with the minimum temperature slipping to 2.8 degree Celsius in Daringbadi.
Bhubaneswar also recorded an all-time low this December with the lowest minimum temperature of 8.2 degree Celsius Sunday.
According to the data from Meteorological Department, mercury dipped below 8 degree Celsius in eight cities while 10 districts recorded temperature below 10 degree Celsius.
Koida and Tensa areas of Sundargarh district and Phulbani in Kandhamal district witnessed snowfall as well.
Similarly, the minimum temperature recorded in Bhubaneswar this month has reached an all-time low with the mercury falling to 8.2 degree Celsius Sunday. The state capital had witnessed minimum temperature of 8.6 degree Celsius in 1992.
In view of the dip in temperature in the last couple of days across the state, the Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar has issued a cold wave alert for the next 4-5 days.
“The state has been reeling under intense cold wave conditions in the last two or three days and the situation is likely to continue for the next four to five days,” said an official of the Met office.
Severe cold wave continued to grip most parts of Keonjhar district with temperature dipping to 5 degree Celsius in Barbil and Joda. The extreme condition has badly hit life in the mining belt. Due to the bone cracking cold, layers of snowflakes were found at different places of Barbil while people remain indoors till 12 am. The sun is hardly found in the sky amid an envelope of mist, said Debananda Pradhan, a local of Barbil. Making bonfires has been the preferred option for the people to keep the chill at bay.
PNN