BHUBANESWAR: With no respite from the sweeping heatwave in sight, the state government on Sunday announced summer vacation for all schools from April 25.
Usually announced in the first week of May, the vacation for schools has been advanced for the second year in a row owing to the sudden rise in temperature in most parts of the state since the beginning of this month.
The government, however, said morning classes will continue for another three days from April 22 to 24. The morning classes will be conducted in all government, private and aided schools between 6.30 am and 10.30 am. Earlier, the schools had been asked to follow the same time schedule for morning classes from April 18 to 20.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued heatwave warning for isolated places in 14 districts on Monday. The maximum temperature in the capital city is expected to hover around 41 degree Celsius in the next 24 hours, it said.
There is some consoling news though, as no heatwave warning has been issued for the state for Tuesday and Wednesday. The maximum temperature is expected to fall by 2 degree Celsius to 3 degree Celsius on the two days, the IMD said, while warning the searing conditions will return from Thursday onwards.
Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre director Manorama Mohanty told The New Indian Express even though the maximum temperature is expected to fall, it will not bring much of a cooling effect as many places in the state are recording maximum temperatures in the range of 40 degree Celsius to 45 degree Celsius.
While hot and humid weather is expected to prevail in parts of the state between Monday and Wednesday, a fresh heatwave spell may grip Odisha from Thursday onwards. “A fresh heatwave spell is likely to start in the state from Thursday and occur at a few places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts. The day temperature will again shoot up by 2 degree Celsius to 3 degree C from Thursday,” Mohanty said.
The Met office has forecast rainfall and thunderstorm with lightning in parts of Odisha for the next two days. On Sunday, Baripada was the hottest in the state for the second consecutive day at 44.6 degree Celsius followed by Nuapada at 44 degree Celsius. Similarly, around seven places recorded 43 degree Celsius or more on the day. Twin city Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 41.6 degree Celsius each.
