BERHAMPUR/ROURKELA : Normal life in Kandhamal and Sundargarh districts was severely affected with mercury level plummeting to below 10 degrees in several interior areas in the two districts.
In areas of Kandhamal district, the temperature was recorded at 6.4 degrees Celsius, the lowest of the season so far. The cold wave paralysed life in Phulbani, G Udayagiri, Baliguda, Daringibadi, Kotagarh and Tumudibandha blocks.
The highest temperature was recorded at 21 degrees Celsius in Phulbani, local Meteorological Observatory officials said. Daringibadi recorded a low of 7 degrees.
Reports of fishes and birds found dead were received from different parts of the district, particularly from areas in high altitudes.
Snowfall is expected at Belghar and Daringibadi in the next two days where night temperature has been gradually falling for the last three days, an official at the weather observatory said. There was a thin layer of snowfall in Belghar and Daringibadi areas in the last week of December last year, the officials added.
Sundargarh: Rourkela and its nearby areas also witnessed intense cold wave condition on Saturday with minimum temperature dipping to 10 degrees Celsius. The maximum was recorded at 26 degrees Celsius.
Environment Engineering Department of Rourkela Steel Plant on Saturday said the temperature is the lowest of the season. The maximum temperature also saw a fall of four degrees in the last 24 hours.
On Friday, Rourkela recorded 11.6 degrees Celsius. Sources said throughout the day, the cold condition was manageable, but by 4 pm onwards, the chill intensified into biting cold as people at many places were seen sitting around bonfire to keep themselves warm.