Intense heat wave in 10 western Odisha districts

Ten western Odisha districts are in the grip of an intense heat wave with the mercury touching a blistering 46 degrees Celsius in Sundergarh and Sonepur today even as temperature fell in the coastal and southern parts of the state.
The heat wave continued to prevail over parts of interior Odisha and at one or two places over coastal region of the state, an IMD bulletin said and forecast continuation of the situation over the next five days.
"Weather has been dry over Odisha. Maximum temperatures (have witnessed) no large change. They were appreciably above normal over interior Odisha, above normal over north coastal Odisha and normal over south coastal Odisha," the bulletin said.

While Sundergarh and Sonepur recorded 46 degrees Celsius each, temperature was recorded at 45 degrees Celsius each at Titlagarh in Bolangir district and Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district.
The places which recorded temperatures above 44 degrees were Jharsuguda (44.4), Sambalpur (44), Hirakud and Talcher (44.6 each), MeT office said, adding, as many as 17 places recorded temperatures above 40 degree Celsius.
Though the temperature fell to 39.7 degree Celsius in the state capital, the people had a tough time as the relative humidity level touched 91 per cent.
Meanwhile, 35 persons are suspected to have died of sunstroke in the state even as the state government claimed that no has died due to heat related incidents.

"Of the total 35 cases, nine were examined by district collectors. None of the nine deaths was due to heat related incidents," Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Mohapatra said.