Bhubaneswar, Apr 25: Odisha is reeling under an intense heatwave as temperatures soar across the state, accompanied by hot winds and dry conditions.

The rising mercury has made daily life increasingly difficult, with people describing the atmosphere as if “fire is raining from the sky.”

In western Odisha, the situation has become particularly severe. Jharsuguda recorded the highest temperature at 44.8°C, making it the hottest city in the state.

Titilagarh followed closely at 44°C, while Sambalpur registered 43.6°C. Sundargarh, Balangir, and Bargarh also reported extreme heat, prompting the Meteorological Centre to issue warnings.

Also read: Odisha Govt Announces Early SummerVacation For All Schools

The eastern districts are not spared either. By late morning, stepping outside has become unbearable, with deserted streets after noon. Residents are relying on umbrellas, hats, and water bottles to cope, while shops selling lassi and sugarcane juice are witnessing heavy crowds.

The Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for 13 districts, including Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Khordha, Puri, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati.

In response to the worsening conditions, the Odisha government has announced early summer vacations for schools starting April 27. All government, government-aided, and private schools will remain closed.

However, scheduled examinations, census activities, and official work will continue as planned. Initially, holidays were declared district by district, but with the heatwave intensifying, the government has extended the closure to all schools statewide.

The combination of soaring temperatures, hot winds, and prolonged exposure risks has made this one of the harshest summers in recent years.