Post News Network
Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Thursday sounded a severe heatwave warning in the coastal districts for the next three days even as the death toll due to sunstroke touched 119. The state government, however, confirmed 9 heat-related deaths in the state.
The state continued to reel under the scorching sun Thursday as the maximum temperature above 43°Celsius affected 10 places, and above 40 degrees at 18 places.
Though there was respite from the grueling heat in the western region, mercury soared abnormally in Cuttack, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Angul and Dhenkanal districts.
Sonepur and Talcher recorded a maximum temperature of 45.4° C followed by Bhubaneswar (45.3°), Chandbali (44.2°), Angul (43.7°), Malkangiri (43.6°), Dhenkanal and Bhawanipatna (43.2°), Cuttack and Bolangir (43°), Titlagarh (42.5°), Sundergarh (42°) and Balasore (41.2°).
Normal life was affected in the Capital city with a sudden spurt in the mercury level that touched its second highest of this season at 45.3°C. The city had broken its own record April 11 with the recorded temperature of 45.8°C.
Bhubaneswar Met centre director Sarat Chandra Sahu said coastal Orissa will continue to experience increased temperature in the coming days. Sahu also said the flow of wind which was coming from the south-west in the morning suddenly changed its course to north-west by 10.30am resulting in the steep rise in the temperature.
He also predicted light rainfall in interior Orissa. The temperature in interior Orissa would come down by 3-4°C due to overcast sky conditions and light rainfall in some parts for the next two days.
Meanwhile, the special relief commissioner’s office here said the death toll due to sunstroke has gone up to nine with a fresh case being confirmed in Keonjhar district.
“Of the total 119 cases, 50 have been probed into and nine deaths have been confirmed due to heatstroke. The remaining 69 cases are under inquiry,” it said.