There is no respite from the blistering heat wave in the State as the temperature levels remained at 42 degrees Celsius or above in nine towns and cities on Sunday.
The Met department warned that the heat wave conditions would worsen after April 30 for a period of at least four days.While the industrial town of Talcher and Titilagarh were the hottest places in the State with 43.6 degrees and 43.5 degrees Celsius respectively, the temperature was recorded at 40 degrees and above in Chandbali (40.8), Bhubaneswar (40.7), Angul (41.1), Jharsuguda (42.3), Keonjhargarh (40.5), Sambalpur (43.4), Sundargarh (41. 5), Hirakud (42.6), Bhawanipatna (42.5), Balangir (42.7), Phulbani (41), Malkangiri (42) and Sonepur (43).
The Met office also predicted rains or thundershowers at one or two places within the next 72 hours. Sunstroke claimed one more life in the State on Sunday, taking the total death toll in the ongoing heat wave in the State to two.According to office of the Special Relief Commissioner, so far 14 reports regarding death due to sunstroke have been received. While one Fakir Mallick of Ragadipada under Badamba block of Cuttack district died on April 24 due to sunstroke, the death of a woman, Tarulata, of Badasahi in Mayurbhanj district has been confirmed to be due to sunstroke.
Three other reports have been found to be death due to other reasons while the remaining nine cases are under inquiry, the official sources said.Meanwhile, despite the advisory given by the Chief Secretary on Saturday stating that there would be no power cuts during the current summer in view of the intense heat wave conditions, there were reports of frequent power cuts across the State. The capital city region of Bhubaneswar has been witnessing power cuts during day and night.
Besides, the drinking water problem has compounded the miseries of the people in most parts of the State.