Bhubaneswar: Odisha is likely to experience heatwave along with heavy rain and thunderstorm activity till June 2, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed on Saturday.
The weather agency has issued orange warning of heatwave and warm night condition for Kalahandi, Balangir, Kandhamal, Sonepur, and Sambalpur districts on June 1. Heatwave may also prevail at one or two places in Boudh, Nuapada, Jharsuguda, Bargarh.
Heavy rainfall may also occur at one or two places in Koraput, Ganjam, Gajapati, and Rayagada. Thunderstorm with lightning accompanied by gusty surface wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph is also likely at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Angul, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagada, and Malkangiri.
On June 2, heatwave may continue at one or two places in Bargarh, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Balangir, and Nuapada. Heavy rainfall may occur at one or two places in Koraput, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Balasore, and Mayurbhanj. Thunderstorm with lightning accompanied by gusty surface wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph is also likely at one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Angul, Dhenkanal, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, and Kalahandi.
While there is no weather warning thereafter, light to moderate rain/thundershower may occur at some places in South Odisha till June 7. The IMD further said that the day temperature may fall by 2-3 degree Celsius at many places in the state during the next 3 days.
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The forecast has come as a relief for Odisha which has seen 36 suspected heatstroke deaths in the last 48 hours with western districts bearing the brunt of the blistering conditions. Rourkela city, where 10 persons had died within seven hours on Thursday, reported six more casualties on Friday. A total of 33 patients are currently undergoing treatment at Roukela Government Hospital.
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Seven of the nine, who died in Jharsuguda, were truck drivers transporting minerals through the industrial town. Six deaths each were also reported from Sambalpur and Balangir districts. A truck driver was also found dead in the vehicle in Keonjhar.
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Satyabrata Sahu said all these deaths are being investigated to check whether heatstroke was the cause. The state has so far confirmed six deaths due to sunstroke this season.