Amid intensifying heatwave conditions across Odisha, district administrations have ordered the closure of schools, anganwadi centres, and technical institutions in several regions to safeguard students from extreme temperatures. The decision comes as mercury levels continue to soar beyond 40 degrees Celsius in multiple districts.
Authorities in Sambalpur, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, and Jharsuguda have announced the closure of all educational institutions from April 20 until further notice. In Boudh district, schools will remain shut until April 22, although examinations will proceed as per schedule. Similarly, Mayurbhanj has declared holidays for schools from April 20 to April 23. Earlier, Bolangir, Subarnapur, and Kalahandi districts had also suspended classes from April 18 to April 21. With these measures, a total of nine districts have enforced school closures due to the severe heatwave.
According to the India Meteorological Department, heatwave conditions persisted across the state on Saturday, with at least 15 locations recording temperatures above 40°C. Titlagarh in Bolangir district emerged as the hottest place at 42.7°C, followed closely by Jharsuguda at 42.6°C. Bhawanipatna recorded 42°C, while Sambalpur and Nuapada registered 41.6°C each. Other districts such as Hirakud, Bolangir, Talcher, Rourkela, Boudh, Sonepur, Sundargarh, and Angul also experienced temperatures exceeding 40°C. Keonjhar and Malkangiri touched the 40°C mark as well.
In contrast, the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded relatively lower temperatures at 36.7°C and 36.8°C, respectively.
The weather department has forecast that heatwave conditions are likely to continue in several districts, including Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bolangir, Nuapada, Sambalpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, and Gajapati. A heatwave is typically defined as a prolonged period of unusually high temperatures, generally at or above 40°C, persisting for at least two days.
In addition to the heatwave, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds are expected in districts such as Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, and Kandhamal during afternoon or evening hours.
To mitigate the impact of extreme weather, the Odisha government has also planned to set up heatwave shelters in districts where necessary. Authorities have urged residents to take precautions and avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, especially during peak hours.
The widespread school closures highlight the severity of the ongoing heatwave, with officials prioritising student safety as temperatures continue to rise across the state.