Sunstroke toll rises to 10 in Odisha

The number of heat-related deaths, which stood at nine till yesterday, climbed to ten this summer following one more death confirmed in Sambalpur district, the office of the Special Relief Relief Commissioner (SRC) said in a statement.While three sunstroke deaths each were reported from Angul and Sambalpur, there were two casualties in Bargarh district and one each in Balangir and Bhadrak, it said.

While intense heat persisted in most parts of the state, particularly in western Odisha, the MeT office forecast rain and thundershower in some places in next 24 hours under the influence of a low pressure over Bay of Bengal, which could bring some respite.

As the mercury breached the 40 degree Celsius mark in at least 10 places, Titlagarh was closely followed by Balangir, which recorded a maximum temperature of 45.3 degree Celsius, while the mercury stood at 44.5 degree Celsius at Bhawanipatna and 44.1 deg C at Angul, it said.

The maximum temperature stood at 43 degree C at Jharsuguda, 42.8 deg C at Sambalpur, 42.5 deg C at Sundargarh, 42.4 deg C at Hirakud and 40 degree Celsius at Phulbani Town, the MeT office said.

In the capital city of Bhubaneswar, the maximum temperature stood at 38.7 degree Celsius, while Cuttack city recorded a maximum temperature of 37.5 degree Celsius, it added.