Odisha Scorches Under Severe Heatwave: Precautions Advised Ahead of Elections

Odisha is experiencing severe heatwave conditions, with temperatures soaring to 46.3°C in Bolangir. The IMD has warned that heatwave conditions will persist across several districts. The Special Relief Commissioner has instructed district collectors to implement precautionary measures and ensure adequate healthcare facilities, especially amid ongoing election campaigning.

Severe heatwave conditions continued to grip Odisha on Wednesday, with temperatures soaring to 46.3 degrees Celsius in Bolangir, making it the hottest place in the state for the day. According to IMD's Bhubaneswar office, Sonepur recorded a temperature of 46.2 degrees Celsius, while Titlagarh and Jharsuguda logged 46 degrees Celsius.

Additionally, 16 other places recorded temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius or above, with Sambalpur reaching 45.6 degrees, Boudh (45.3) and Hirakud (45.1). Bhubaneswar and Cuttack registered temperatures of 39.9 degrees and 38 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions would prevail in the districts of Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Boudh, Kandhamal, Bolangir, Keonjhar, Angul, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Bargarh, Nuapada, and Kalahandi on Thursday, the weather office said.

People in the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, and Dhenkanal would experience hot and humid weather condition on Thursday, it said.

As election campaigning for the last phase of Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections is set to end on Thursday, the IMD advised people to take necessary precautions during rallies, especially in high humid and temperature areas. In response to the prevailing heatwave, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Satyabrata Sahu instructed all district collectors to implement precautionary measures such as reviewing basic health facilities at healthcare centres and ensuring sufficient staffing, especially at the grassroots level. Additionally, the health department was advised to assess the availability of doctors and health workers to address heat-related issues, particularly in coastal areas experiencing high humidity.