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Heatwave conditions continue in interior areas

— Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

A white tiger is waiting for its turn while the other one is relaxing in the pool to beat the scorching heat at zoo in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.

BHUBANESWAR: Many interior pockets of Orissa continued to reel under heatwave conditions as this year’s mercury level has jumped by two to three degree Celsius more compared to normal temperature that prevails at most places during the month of April.

“The recorded temperature at stations over Orissa indicate that the rise in temperature is about 2 to 3 degree Celsius above normal except Angul, Sundargarh and Chandbali where it is about 4 degree Celsius above normal,” Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre said here on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, allegations of deaths reported due to heatwave conditions went up to 28 as the State government confirmed four persons died of sunstroke.

Keonjhar, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Hirakud and many interior Western Orissa places experienced temperature beyond 40 degree Celsius for four successive days. It affected the normal life.

“Humidity has been a major factor affecting normal life. While Bhubaneswar had 56 per cent humidity by 11.30 a.m. on Tuesday, the western Orissa town of Jharsuguda had only 9 per cent. It means the heat conditions in Jharsuguda is hurting people,” Director of Met centre S. C. Sahu said.

As many as 11 heatwaves were experienced during the month of May in 2005 and in June it was 13. Similarly, the Met office had counted 23 heatwaves during the same two months in 1998. As per the Met department criteria, heatwave is declared when day’s temperature is above 5 degree Celsius than the normal.

“Depletion of forest cover and growth of concrete structures have contributed to the heatwave conditions. Though temperature has not risen to alarming level, people feel uneasiness due to local influences,” he said.

Mr. Sahu said heatwave conditions were likely to prevail over some parts of interior Orissa during next 24 hours.

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