Heatwave in Odisha: State govt declares summer vacations in all schools from April 25

Senior scientist Naresh Kumar from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Delhi highlighted the prevailing heatwave conditions in East India, with projections indicating its continuation over the next few days in certain states.

Amidst the relentless grip of scorching heatwaves, the Odisha government, led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday (April 21) declared the beginning of summer vacations in all state schools from April 25. Additionally, authorities announced modified school hours, with classes scheduled to run from 6:30 am to 10:30 am from April 22 to 24.

Senior scientist Naresh Kumar from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Delhi highlighted the prevailing heatwave conditions in East India, with projections indicating its continuation over the next few days in certain states.

Kumar said that the issuance of a Red alert for West Bengal due to the severity of the heatwave, with temperatures soaring 6.5 to 4 degrees above normal levels. The IMD predicts a slight temperature drop in the coming days, followed by an Orange alert for the subsequent four days.

The IMD's earlier advisory warned of severe heatwave conditions in isolated pockets of Odisha on April 21 and 22, with continued heatwave alerts for April 25, 2024. On April 20, the mercury soared past 43 degrees Celsius at ten locations, reaching a staggering 45.2 degrees Celsius in Baripada, Odisha's highest recorded temperature.

The latest IMD forecast predicts minimal fluctuations in maximum temperatures over the next 24 hours in Odisha, indicating the persistence of intense heatwave conditions.