Temperature, however, dropped marginally in Delhi and some other parts of northern region in the wake of a fresh western disturbance with the weatherman predicting overcast conditions for tomorrow and possibility of duststorm and thunderstorm.
The maximum temperature in Delhi was recorded at 38.6 degrees Celsius, down from yesterday's 39.6 and a notch above the normal, while the minimum settled at 25.8 degrees Celsius.
In the eastern states of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha, heat wave swept in most areas affecting normal life.
Heat wave claimed the life of a block-level officer maintaining the queue outside a polling station in Mangalkot in Burdwan district, where the third phase of assembly election was held today.
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Rabindranath Ghosh (40) died after suffering a sunstroke as he was standing in the open for long hours, EC officials said. Burdwan district is reeling under heat wave and Asansol town recorded a temperature of 44 degrees Celsius during the day, an IMD official said.
The maximum in Sundergarh, Bhawanipatna and Bolangir settled at 45 degrees Celsius.
The state capital of Bhubaneswar experienced a hot day at 40.3 degrees Celsius.
Reportsof66deathsdueto sunstroke have been received fromdifferentsources, according to a release issued by the Special Relief Commissioner's (SRC) office. On inquiry, death in one case was confirmedtobeduetosunstroke, it said.
"In17cases,thedeathshavebeenfoundtohave occurredduetootherreasons.Theremaining48casesare under inquiry," SRC P K Mohapatra said.
Uttar Pradesh too continued to reel under scorching heat
with the mercury touching 45.3 degrees Celsius in Allahabad.
Maximum temperatures continued to hover above normal in most places in Haryana and Punjab.
Hisar recorded a maximum temperature of 40 degrees Celsius. Residents of Ambala braved a hot day at 38.2 degrees Celsius. Chandigarh recorded a high of 37.7, while Amritsar's maximum settled at 38.6 degrees Celsius.
In western Maharashtra, Vidarbha reeled under severe heat conditions. Chandrapur was the hottest place at 45.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Bramhapuri 45.2 and Nagpur and Wardha 45 degree Celsius. The western region of Maharashtra is facing drought situation.
IMD has predicted that the summer of 2016 could possibly be the hottest summer.