Bhubaneswar: Boudh district in western Odisha recorded the highest temperature in India Saturday, reaching 42.5 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The IMD reported that Boudh was followed by Sambalpur at 42.2 degrees Celsius and Chandrapur in Maharashtra at 42 degrees Celsius.
“With Odisha under the grip of a heatwave, at least 13 locations recorded maximum temperatures at or above 40 degrees Celsius,” the IMD said.
In an evening bulletin, the national weather agency reported that seven locations in Odisha registered temperatures above 41 degrees Celsius: Boudh (42.5), Sambalpur (42.2), Jharsuguda (41.8), Angul (41.7), Bolangir (41.5), Subarnapur (41.2), and Titlagarh (41).
Other locations with temperatures at or above 40 degrees Celsius included Sundargarh (40.8), Dhenkanal (40.6), Rourkela (40.3), Bhawanipatna, Hirakud, and Baripada (40.2).
Bhubaneswar recorded 38.6 degrees Celsius with 79 per cent humidity, while nearby Cuttack registered 37.8 degrees Celsius with 86 per cent humidity, the IMD said.
The weather agency issued a “red warning,” urging action for severe heatwave conditions in parts of Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, and Kalahandi March 15-16. A red warning is issued when temperatures are at least 6 degrees Celsius above normal.
An “orange warning,” advising preparedness for heatwave conditions, was also issued for Angul, Sundargarh, Subarnapur, and Boudh. A “yellow warning,” signaling awareness, was issued for Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Dhenkanal, Bolangir, Gajapati, Cuttack, and Khurda March 15.
Hot and humid conditions may persist in Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, and Khurda, the IMD said.
For March 16, the IMD warned of continued hot and humid conditions in Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Puri, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati. Warm night conditions are expected in Bolangir, according to the bulletin.
The IMD cautioned that areas under red alert face a high risk of heat illness and heat stroke across all age groups, advising extreme care for vulnerable populations.
Severe heatwave, heatwave, hot and humid conditions, and warm nights are expected to continue across Odisha until March 18, with a potential decrease in intensity from March 17, the IMD added.
PTI