Women cover their faces to avoid direct contact with sun on a hot day. (File Photo: IANS)
Bhubaneswar, April 18 (IANS) The heat wave continued to cripple Odisha as the mercury rose over 40 degrees Celsius in 16 places in the state on Monday while the toll due to sunstroke has touched 45, officials said.
Western Odisha has virtually turned into a cauldron as several towns recorded temperatures of over 43 degrees Celsius. Sonepur registered highest temperature of 46 degrees Celsius followed by Sundargarh (45 degrees Celsius) and Jharsuguda (44.4 degrees Celsius), the Met Office said.
Both Titlagarh and Bhawanipatna recorded 44 degrees Celsius.
The temperature recorded at Talcher was 43.8 degrees Celsius, 43.7 degree Celsius at Angul, 43.1 degrees Celsius at Hirakud.
The mercury stayed at 40.3 degrees in the capital city.
Bhubaneswar met department director Sarat Chandra Sahu said the mercury is set to rise further from April 22.
However, the weather department has predicted thunderstorms in parts of northern and interior parts of the state.
