Press Trust of India
Phulbani, Dec 18: Normal life in tribal-dominated Kandhamal district was severely affected as the mercury level fell to minus 0.5 degree Celsius at Daringbadi with the entire region swept by cold wave for the last three days, officials said Thursday.
The people in Phulbani, Daringbadi, Khajuripada, Raikia, Balliguda, Kotagarh and Tumudibandha areas fear to come out of their houses after sunset due to severe cold. The mercury level dropped to minus 0.5 degree Celsius at Daringbadi Thursday at 5.30 am which is said to be the lowest temperature of the season in the entire state, said Ajeet Kumar Sahu of the local Meteorological Observatory, set up by the Berhampur University.
Wednesday, the temperature was 3 degree Celsius and Tuesday it was 8 degree Celsius, Sahu said, adding that the lowest temperature recorded Thursday at the district headquarters town of Phulbani at 5.30 am was 5 degree Celsius.
Apart from Daringbadi, Kotagarh, Tumudibandha and Balliguda recorded 3.5, 4.5 and 4 degree Celsius respectively. The intense cold wave has compounded the woes of the homeless and the poor people in the district. They prefer to remain round the clock with fire in their houses to get rid of this severe cold and do not dare to step out from houses before 11 am and after 7 pm all over the district, officials said.
Since the moisture content in the atmosphere is very low, snowfall is yet to be reported from remote areas of the district. However, birds in forests and fish in tanks and nullahs are found dead due to the severe cold in many areas, reports said.
Banana cultivation in Balliguda sub-division and rabi crop and vegetable cultivation in these areas have been badly affected due to the cold wave, Tirthabasi Kanhar a tribal Banana grower of Balliguda said.