Bhubaneswar: Seasonal fruits and drinks such as watermelons, mangoes and lassi are in great demand in the city with mercury hovering around 40 degrees Celsius.

People have started thronging major fruit markets and popular lassi kiosks in the city, resulting in their sales picking up.

"The demand is steadily rising. Customers have started visiting our shops to buy fruits such as watermelons under the scorching sun," said Manoj Das, a seasonal fruit and drink seller on Madhusudan Marg at Unit-III.

With demand rising, Das has started selling watermelons at Rs 16 per kg compared to Rs 10 in the first week of April. The price of seasonal grape also shot up to Rs 100 from Rs 80, while stone apple is being sold at Rs 10 per piece. Similarly, mangoes are being sold at Rs 80 and Rs 100, respectively.

Das, who hailed from Jajpur and put his makeshift shop on Madhusudan Marg since past five years, said the prices would come down once the market took pace.

In another development, people were also seen quenching their thrust with seasonal lassi and stone apple juice in various parts of the city.

"It is unbearably hot right now. We need to keep our body cool in order to survive and fruits such as watermelons and drinks such as lassi and stone apple juice help a lot. I drink two glasses of lassi and eating enough watermelons these days," said Kharavela Nagar resident Dibyansh Mohapatra.

After a relief in the form of light rain and thunder squall for a fortnight beginning April 1, the scorching heat came back to haunt the residents here with the maximum temperature shooting up above the 40 degrees Celsius mark in continuity since the past three days. The humidity also remained at a high.

According to the regional meteorological centre's prediction, such weather condition will continue till the end of this month. "The heat wave condition will continue in Bhubaneswar. However, light rainfall with squall is expected during the evening hours. Such weather condition will continue till April end," said Met director Sarat Chandra Sahu.