The mercury came down on Saturday in many parts of the State. Sundargarh was the hottest as maximum temperature of 42.5 degree C was recorded there.
State capital recorded 40.9 degree Celsius. As many as 14 cities recorded above 40 degree. Temperature in Titilagarh registered 40.5 degree C.
The other places which had temperature above 40 degree were Angul (41.7), Baripada (40.2), Jharsuguda (40.1), Keonjhar (40), Sambalpur (41.3), Hirakud (40.6), Talcher (41.6), Bhawanipatna (40.2), Balangir (41), Phulbani (41) and Sonepur (40).
According to a Met Department release, rains and thundershowers are likely to occur at one or two places over Odisha in next 24 hours. Thunder squalls accompanied by hail and gusty surface wind speed reaching 60 kmph are also predicted at one or two places.
local India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director SC Sahu said the heat wave conditions would continue for next 24 hours in a few places while the maximum temperature could be around 41 degree Celsius.