Bhubaneswar: Though many parts of Odisha got a respite from heatwave conditions, the mercury level continued to remain above 40 degrees Celsius in the western region of the state today.
The maximum temperature stood at 42 degrees Celsius at Bolangir followed by 41.7 degrees Celsius at Sonepur, 41.5 degrees Celsius at Titilagarh and Bhawanipatna and 41.3 degrees Celsius in Jharsuguda. Of the nine places which recorded temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, seven are western districts.
While Bhubaneswar recorded recorded 39.7 degrees Celsius with relative humidity at 87 per cent, Cuttack recorded 34.4 degrees Celsius.
The sunstroke deaths confirmed by the state government remained at 16. The number of suspected heat-related deaths, however, increased to 171 from 168 yesterday, the Special Relief Commissioner's (SRC) office said.
The MeT office has forecast thundersquall at some places in Odisha in the next 48 hours.