India's Odisha announces closure of schools amid heat wave

NEW DELHI, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The local government in India's eastern state of Odisha Thursday closed schools for three days amid a heat wave, officials said.

The decision by Odisha's school and mass education department was taken to prevent children from the heat.

Odisha is reeling under a scorching heat wave with the mercury rising beyond 40 degrees Celsius at many places, according to media reports.