The sun stroke toll officially mounted to10 with two more confirmed death cases reaching the Special Relief Commissioner’s (SRC) office on Saturday in the midst of unprecedented blistering heat wave condition continuing to sweep the State with a marginal dip in the day temperature. The local Met office in its weather watch for subsequent four days warned of likely increase in the temperature from May 9.
According to the SRC office sources, though it is alleged that as many as 42 persons were killed so far across the State owing to heat wave, but a total of 26 death cases had been confirmed. Among them, 10 were confirmed to be due to sun stroke while in the rest 16 cases, it was verified and found that the deaths occurred for other reasons. A final report in case of other 16 cases was yet to be received from the district Collectors, the sources said.
It is said the highest three confirmed sun stroke deaths were reported from Mayurbhanj district, while one each was reported from Baleswar, Bhadrakh, Balangir, Cuttack, Jajpur, Kendrapada and Khorda.The State has been witnessing an unprecedented heat wave condition for the past few days bringing the normal life at many places to a grinding halt. The coal belt of Talcher continued to remain hot in the State for the last six days where the mercury had been hovering between 42 and 45 degree Celsius.