Bhubaneswar: At least 16 people have died in the heat wave sweeping Orissa with the maximum temperature in several parts of the state crossing 44 degrees Celsius, officials here said Sunday.

Titlagarh recorded 44.0 degrees, Sundergarh 44.4, and both Angul and Jharsuguda 44.1, an official of the Bhubaneswar meteorological office told IANS.

The industrial city of Talcher also witnessed more than 44 degrees though details were awaited, he said.

The state capital Bhubaneswar saw the mercury rising to 39.9 degree, Cuttack 40.1, Puri 33.0, Gopalpur 32.5, Paradeep 33.5, Chandbali 39.5, Balasore 34.0, Keonjhar 42.5, Sambalpur 41.4 and Hirakud 42.9 degrees, the official said.

The state government has received reports of at least 73 deaths due to sunstroke from different regions during this summer. "However, as of today, we have confirmed only 16 of them as resulting from heat wave," an official of the revenue control room said.

 

Source : IANS