Bhubaneswar Amid persistent heatwave, a storm alert has been issued in three districts.

Bhubaneswar: The Regional Meteorological Centre on Saturday issued a thunderstorm and rain alert for the next three hours in three Odisha districts: Koraput, Sundargarh, and Mayurbhanj.

According to the department, despite intense heat wave conditions prevailing in many parts of the state, lightning and rain are likely in all three districts. Jharsuguda recorded the highest temperature in the state on Friday at 45.2 degrees Celsius. Sambalpur recorded 44.2 degrees Celsius, Boudh 44.5 degrees Celsius, Bolangir and Titlagarh 44.4 degrees Celsius each, and Hirakud 43.6 degrees Celsius.

Nuapada recorded 43.2 degrees Celsius, while Sonepur recorded 42.1 degrees Celsius. Sundargarh recorded 41.8 degrees Celsius, Malkangiri 41.6 degrees Celsius, and Bargarh 41.4 degrees Celsius. The Meteorological Department has issued a heat wave warning for Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Sundargarh, Bargarh, Angul, Sonepur, Boudh, and Nayagarh districts for Saturday.

Hot and humid weather is expected in Balasore, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Keonjhar, Cuttack, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, and Khurda districts.

For Sunday, the Meteorological Department has predicted heatwave conditions in Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Angul, Boudh, and Bolangir districts, while hot and humid conditions are likely to prevail in 18 districts across the state.