Orissa Heat Wave Kills 45

Bhubaneswar: As the mercury hit a high of 46.3 degrees Celsius on Monday in Orissa, the death toll due to heat wave rose to 45 in the state.

Heat wave conditions prevailed in many parts of interior and some parts of coastal Orissa. Severe heat conditions were likely to prevail at one or two places. A total of 45 people are suspected to have died from sunstroke. “45 persons are reported to have died due to sunstroke in Orissa,” said Prabhat Ranjan Mohpatra, Special Relief Commissioner, Orissa.

However, the state government has denied any heat stroke related death in the state. “Of the 45 alleged sunstroke death cases, 12 were examined by the district collectors and none of them died due to heat related incidents,” Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Mohapatra said.

Maximum temperatures were marked above normal over north interior Orissa, appreciably above normal over northern coastal and southern interior regions and above normal in south coastal Orissa.

 Sonepur recorded the highest temperature at 46 degree Celsius, followed by 45 degree and 44.4 degree in Sundergarh and Bhawanipatna respectively. Titlagarh recorded 44 degree Celsius, it said.

As many as 16 towns in the state recorded temperature above 40 degree Celsius.

Temperature in the state capital was recorded at 40.3 degree Celsius with relative humidity at 79 per cent, the weather department said, adding that the industrial town of Angul recorded 43.7 degree Celsuis, followed by Sambalpur (43.6), Talcher (43.8) and Bolangir (43.5).

The heat wave in Kolkata has led to a number of casualties.