Gruelling heatwave persisted across Odisha today with Balangir remaining the hottest town in the state at 44.3 degrees Celsius, even as at least 13 places breached the 40-degree mark.
The state virtually remained a boiling pot as the mercury breached the 42 degrees Celsius mark at nine towns. Sunstroke has claimed at least three lives in the state so far this summer with casualties reported from Bargarh, Angul and Balangir districts, the office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) said.