The heat wave conditions have so far claimed three lives in Maharashtra, with temperatures having soared above 40 degrees C in several areas of as many as 22 districts in Marathwada, Vidarbha, north Maharashtra, western Maharashtra and coastal Konkan region.
Though unofficial reports reaching the state headquarters from different parts of Maharashtra pegged the number of heat wave-related deaths at five, there was confirmation for only three deaths –one in Shirpur taluka of Dhule district in north Maharashra, one from Aurangabad district and another from Beed district.
Babulbai Shenpadu Nikumbe (49), a former sarpanch of Bhabulde village in Shirpur taluka of Dhule district, was admitted to a hospital at Dhule on Wednesday, after she suffered a sun stroke. She died at the hospital during the course of her treatment.
Official sources said that a 14-year old from Aurangabad district and a 50-year old woman in Beed died due to extreme heat conditions during the past 24 hours.
State Health Minister Deepak Sawant, meanwhile, confirmed that two persons had so far been killed in the state because of heat wave conditions.
India Meteorological Department’s Regional Meteorological Centre, Mumbai has forecast that there would be have conditions at isolated places over north-central Maharashtra during the next 48 hours.
The mercury hovered between 40 and 44 degrees C in at least 22 districts in the state – Akola, Amravati, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Nagpur, Wardha, Yeotmal – all in Vidarbha, Aurangabad, Nanded, Osmanabad, Parbhani, all in Marathwada, Jalgaon, Malegaon, Nashik, all in north Maharashtra, Ahmednagar, Pune, Sangli, Satara, Solapur and Bhira in Raigad district of coastal Konkan region.
Significantly enough, Bhira village in Raigad district had recording a staggering 46.5 degrees C on Tuesday. The recorded temperature of 46.5 degrees C was 7 degrees Celsius above normal. However, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) called back the “record” day temperature, citing some malfunctioning in the temperature recording instruments.
Stating that the temperature recorded at Bhira village on Tuesday was “inaccurate”, the IMD stated the temperature was recorded at a part-time observatory and was not reliable.
