Unofficial heat stroke toll 42 in state; 7 confirmed

Bhubaneswar: The state government has received 42 complaints of deaths due to sun stroke from various places over past two months, said deputy state relief commissioner PR Mohapatra here Wednesday.
The office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has received reports of about 42 alleged sunstroke deaths from April to till date, Mohapatra said.
“Earlier, 35 deaths due to sunstroke were reported. Collectors were asked for inquiry. Out of 35 deaths, 7 sunstroke deaths have been confirmed. The investigation is still on for the remaining cases. As a post mortem report is compulsory to ascertain a sunstroke death, there is a delay in confirmation of total sunstroke deaths,” he said. Meanwhile, seven fresh sunstroke death claims were received over last seven days. The total toll is 42 out of which seven have been confirmed, he added.
At least eight places recorded a maximum temperature of over 40 degree Celsius Wednesday. The highest 41.9 degrees was recorded at Angul while it was 41 degrees at Titlagarh, 40.4 degrees at Baripada, 40.2 degrees at Dhenkanal and Chandbali, 40.1 degrees at Sambalpur and 40 degrees at Bolangir and Sonepur. The Met office said this will continue for another two days in districts such as Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Dhenkanal, Angul, Bolangir, Sonepur, Baudh, Nayagarh and Khurda.