Bhubaneswar:
Several places in Odisha reeled under cold wave conditions with 10 towns recording minimum temperature below 10 degree Celsius even as the state government on Tuesday told the district collectors to be on alert in view of IMD’s forecast of thunderstorm from Thursday.
Angul was the coldest place in Odisha with a minimum temperature of 5 degree Celsius followed by Sonepur (5.6), Daringbadi (6), Keonjhar (6.2), Phulbani (6.5), Titlagarh (8), Talcher and Sambalpur (8.6), Sundergarh (9), and Balasore (9.4).
“Minimum temperature (night temperature) is very likely to be below normal for the next two days and gradually rise by 2-4 degree Celsius thereafter over the districts of Odisha,” the bulletin said.
The IMD has also forecast thunderstorm with lightning and hail very likely to occur in the districts on Odisha on January 2 and similar condition on January 3 in the districts of Mayurbhanj, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Gajapati, Rayagada, Nayagarh and Kandhamal districts.
In a letter, Revenue and Disaster Management department directed the district collectors to suggest to farmers to shift harvested paddy to safe place and keep it properly stacked under suitable cover so as to avoid any loss/damage due to rain.
“Necessary measures should also be taken to protect paddy in mandis against the rain,” the department told the district collectors.
