Bhubaneswar | Boudh district in Odisha’s western region on Saturday logged the highest temperature in the country at 42.5 degree Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

According to the weather office, Boudh was followed by Sambalpur (42.2 degree Celsius) and Chandrapur (42 degree Celsius) in Maharashtra.

"With Odisha under the grip of a heat wave, at least 13 places have recorded maximum temperatures at or above 40 degree Celsius," the IMD added.

An evening bulletin issued by the national weather agency said, "Seven places in Odisha recorded temperatures above 41 degree Celsius. They are Boudh (42.5), Sambalpur (42.2), Jharsuguda (41.8), Angul (41.7), Bolangir (41.5), Sonepur (41.2), and Titlagarh (41)."

"The places which recorded temperatures at or above 40 degree Celsius are Sundergarh (40.8), Dhenkanal (40.6), Rourkela (40.3), Bhawanipatna, Hirakud and Baripada (40.2)."

"While Bhubaneswar recorded 38.6 degree Celsius with humidity levels at 79 per cent, nearby Cuttack experienced 37.8 degree Celsius with humidity levels at 86 per cent," the IMD added.

The IMD, meanwhile, issued a "red warning" (be prepared to take action) for severe heat wave conditions in one or two places in Jharsuguda, Sambalpur and Kalahandi on March 15-16.

Red warning is issued at places where the temperature departure is at least 6 degree Celsius from normal temperatures.

An orange warning (be prepared to take action) for heat wave conditions has also been issued for a few places in Angul, Sundergarh, Sonepur and Boudh during this period.

The weather office also issued a 'yellow warning' (be aware) for heat wave conditions in one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Dhenkanal, Balangir, Gajapati, Cuttack and Khurda on March 15.

Hot and humid conditions may prevail at one or two places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur and Khurda, it added.

For March 16 (Sunday), the IMD warned that "hot and humid conditions are very likely to prevail at one or two places over the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Puri, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati."

Warm night conditions are very likely to prevail at one or two places over the districts of Bolangir, the bulletin added.

For areas under the red alert, the IMD said, "There is a very high likelihood of developing heat illness and heat stroke in all ages and suggested the public take extreme care of vulnerable people."

The national weather agency said severe heat wave, heat wave, hot and humid and warm nights may continue across Odisha until March 18.

"The intensity of the heat wave may decrease from March 17," it added.