Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, May 30: Despite the killer heatwave subsiding partly in the state, the Special Relief Commissioner’s office has received reports of seven more deaths due to sunstroke Saturday, taking the statewide estimated death toll to 115 this summer.
Jay Maharana (33) from Ganjam and Tanuj Bej (45) from Dhenkanal succumbed to the heatwave Saturday. Maharana was found dead at Rayagada railway station inside the Surat-bound Puri-Gandhidham Express while Bej died in the afternoon while returning home from work.
According to the latest SRC report, a highest of 24 alleged deaths have been reported from Ganjam followed by 17 deaths in Jajpur, 14 in Khurda and 10 in Cuttack whereas Dhenkanal and Kendrapara witnessed nine and eight deaths respectively.
However, the SRC till Saturday investigated 47 alleged sunstroke death cases of which they confirmed 21 deaths this season, with five deaths being confirmed from Kendrapara district followed by three deaths each from Bargarh and Ganjam districts.
The heatwave has continued to play havoc in the western and southern pockets of the state with Titilagarh once again remaining hottest at 45.5°C followed by Sonepur at 44.6°C, Bhawanipatna at 44.5°, Sambalpur at 44.4° and Bolangir at 44°C Saturday.
Thirteen places witnessed mercury soaring above the 40° mark Saturday while the Met department here has also traced light rainfall at Daringbadi and Keonjhar.
“Pre-monsoon rain may begin lashing parts of the state from June 2 while the southwest monsoon may make an onset June 7 in the state through southern pockets. There will be a gradual decrease in maximum temperature across the state in the next 24 hours whereas a steep decrease will begin from June 6,” said Met director Sarat Sahu.
The Met has also predicted light rain or thundershower to occur at one or two places over the southern districts and adjoining Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Jajpur in the next 24 hours. It has also issued a warning for fishermen in view of strong and gusty surface winds at speeds up to 45kmph along the coast.
Cloudy skies are predicted for the capital city and adjoining areas in the next 24 hours, with rain or thundershower also possible. Maximum and minimum temperature is expected to be 38°C and 26°C respectively.
