JOIN USThe heat wave in Odisha this season has proven to be deadlier than last year, with the mercury hovering well over 40 degrees Celsius in several parts of the state and the toll surpassing previous records.
After two continuous days of sweltering heat, the ordeal of the people is not expected to get any better with the Met department indicating that there may not be any immediate changes in weather conditions.
“The current heat wave is expected to continue at least for the next three to four days,” an official said. According to a statement released by the office of the state’s special relief commissioner (SRC), the confirmed death toll in different districts due to the heat wave stood at 17 on Tuesday and is expected to go up further.
“By Tuesday evening, 63 reports of heat wave deaths were received from different places and forwarded to the respective district collectors for confirmation.The collectors sent reports of 38 deaths, out of which 17 were confirmed as death due to heat wave.
Final reports on 25 cases are yet to be received,” the statement said. Of the 17 confirmed deaths, four were recorded in North Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, three in Bolangir district and two in Keonjhar. Angul, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Khurda, as well as the north Odisha districts of Balasore and Bhadrak, recorded one death each.