Bhubaneswar, Jan. 19 -- Intense cold and a sharp drop in temperatures across most of the interior and coastal districts of Odisha will last for at least the next five days, stated an India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast.

Cold wave conditions returned to the state on the night of January 17, following a brief respite owing to western disturbances. Under its impact, the mercury plummeted steeply in several places with Phulbani recording the lowest temperature among cities in Odisha, at 8 degrees Celsius.

Further, on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, G. Udayagiri at 5 degrees Celsius was the coldest place in the state. Similarly, Similiguda (7.6), Jharsuguda (9.7), Angul (10), Rourkela (10.5), Sundaragrh, Bhawanipatna...