Odisha continues to shiver under severe cold as mercury plummets below 10 °C

Bhubaneswar: People in several parts of Odisha continued to shiver under intense cold wave condition as the mercury plummeted below 10 degree Celsius in as many as 12 places across the state.

Phulbani and Daringbadi of Kandhamal district recorded the lowest minimum temperatures in the state with light frost occurring at the two places early this morning. While Phulbani recorded 4 degree Celsius during the last 12 hours, Dargingbadi, known as the Kashmir of Odisha, saw a minimum temperature of  5 degree Celsius.

The other stations that recorded below 10 degree Celsius are  Angul (5.6), Baripada (9), Jharsuguda (7), Keonjhar (8.8), Sundargarh (7), Bhawanipatna (8), Balangir (9.2), Koraput(7), Sonepur (9.4) and Boudh (9).

The Twin City of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar witnessed minimum temperature  at 11 degree Celsius and 12.4 degree Celsius, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) yesterday directed all Collectors and Municipal Commissioners to take necessary steps to protect homeless and livestock from the severe cold wave condition to prevail in the state till December 25, as predicted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Also Read: Severe cold wave condition in Odisha till Dec 25; SRC alerts all Collectors

The SRC directed all collectors to open school buildings, community buildings and other available buildings to be used as shelter by homeless and needy people during night. The SRC also asked them to send a report indicating the number of such buildings used as night shelters and number of people sheltered therein on daily basis till the cold wave situation is over.