Cold wave conditions to intensify in Odisha

Cold wave conditions are likely to intensify in Odisha from Monday with dense fog set to envelop many parts of the state for the next two days, the Meteorological centre in Bhubaneswar said in a bulletin on Sunday. There will be gradual fall of minimum temperature by 4 to 5 degrees Celsius in most parts of the state from Monday, the bulletin said.

While minimum night temperature is likely to drop, maximum day temperature will remain below normal for the next couple of days in the state, where several areas experienced light to moderate rainfall during the last two days, it said.

People in Odisha experienced slight respite from the biting cold as minimum temperature across the state remained above 10 degrees Celsius on Sunday. The Met centre said dense fog is likely to prevail at one or two places over the districts of North Coastal Odisha, Angul, Sundergarh, Keonjhar, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Khurdha and Puri on Monday and Tuesday.

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Similarly, light rain or thundershower is likely to occur at one or two places in the districts of Sundergarh, Keonjhar, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, and Nuapada on January 8, it said, adding light to moderate rain or thunder shower may occur at one or two places in the state.

With the IMD predicting intense cold for the next few days, the Odisha government has asked the district collectors to take steps to save people from harsh weather and paddy from rains.

As paddy cultivation has been severely damaged in several coastal areas, the district collectors have been asked to make an assessment and submit reports on the crop loss due to unseasonal rains, said a senior official.

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