Bhubaneswar, May 25: Severe heat wave conditions coupled with frequent power cuts have made life miserable for residents in the state.

And if one is expecting any relief, the weathermen do not have any good news in store for the situation is likely to worsen in the next few days.

In the afternoon, city streets today wore a deserted look as most of the residents preferred to stay indoors to avoid the heat.

While it has become extremely difficult to venture outside, frequent power cuts have added to the woes. Besides, low voltage is also causing trouble across the city, as air-conditioners do not function in such a situation.

"It was extremely hot much before noon, and it became almost impossible to go out of the house. The heat wave has already made things bad, and now, the power cuts have made life miserable," said Rasulgarh resident Akshay Sahoo.

Bhubaneswar today sweltered 45.4 degrees Celsius, which is the maximum that the city recorded in this month in the last decade. On Monday, the city sizzled at 45 degrees Celsius.

A Met official said today's temperature was 8.4 degrees Celsius higher than normal. They also predicted that the current heat wave condition might force the temperature to shoot up and thus break all other records.

The city had recorded all-time high temperature of 46.6 degrees Celsius on May 22, 1972.

As many as 18 places in the state today recorded a maximum temperature of more than 40 degrees Celsius. While Angul was the hottest with a temperature of 47 degrees Celsius, Hirakud was the second with mercury soaring to 46.6 degrees Celsius.

Titilagarh recorded a temperature of 46.5 degrees Celsius, while both Jharsuguda and Sambalpur sizzled at 46.4 degrees Celsius.

"An extreme heat wave condition is likely to persist till the end of this month. However, rain and thundershower may occur at one or two places in the state in the next 24 hours," said director of the regional meteorological centre Sarat Chandra Sahu.