BHUBANESWAR: Hotter days are in the offing as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that the maximum day temperature will gradually rise by 2 degree C to 4 degree C this week.
Director of Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre Manorama Mohanty said, “Day temperatures are expected to increase in the coming days. However, isolated places will continue to experience nor’wester rains due to local heating.”
On Tuesday, mercury levels shot up across parts of the state owing to the decreased thunderstorm activity. Weather experts said the nor’wester rains have declined as the low pressure over southwest Bay of Bengal off north Sri Lanka coast is pulling away all the moisture.
“Moisture incursion towards the state from the Bay of Bengal leads to thunderstorm activity here. With less moisture and no weather system directly impacting the state, thundershowers have witnessed a decline,” they added.
The maximum day temperature observed a rise in many places of the state on the day. Titilagarh was the hottest at 40 degree Celsius, followed by Sambalpur 39.9 deg C, Jharsuguda 39.2 deg C and Bhawanipatna 39 deg C. Twin City Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 37 deg C and 35 deg C respectively during the period.
Chief secretary holds cyclone preparedness meeting
Meanwhile, chief secretary Anu Garg on Tuesday reviewed the cyclone preparedness of the state and asked departments not to be complacent and remain fully prepared.
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, highlighted Odisha’s vulnerability to cyclones due to its geographical location along the Bay of Bengal. He said changing climatic conditions have increased the frequency and unpredictability of cyclonic events and reiterated the state’s commitment to the Zero Casualty mission through preparedness, coordination and early warning dissemination.
Director, IMD, Bhubaneswar, Manorama Mohanty, however, informed the meeting that there is currently no possibility of cyclone along the Odisha coast. She, however, advised the state to maintain preparedness at all levels.
Official sources said, 30 ODRAF teams are ready for immediate deployment for search and rescue operations. Water Resources, Health and Family Welfare, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development, Energy, Food Supplies, Agriculture, Panchayati Raj, Rural Development, and Housing and Urban Development departments also informed measures taken relating to reservoir management, restoration of roads and power supply, safe drinking water, stocking of medicines, cattle feed, essential commodities and emergency response arrangements.