Heatwave toll rises to eight in Odisha

The toll due to severe heatwave conditions in Odisha has mounted to eight with the authorities Wednesday confirming another death in Kendrapada district.

Ratnakar Nath, 50, died of sunstroke May 23 at Ainipada town in Kendrapada, about about 100 km from here. The district authorities confirmed his death after conducting an investigation, an official at the control room in the special relief commissioner's office told IANS.

According to the information received by the control room, eight people have so far died of sunstroke this summer. While Cuttack, Kendrapada and Sundergarh districts have reported two deaths each, Ganjam and Jharsuguda each have reported one death, he added.

Heatwave conditions continued to grip many parts of the state with industrial town of Talcher Wednesday recording a temperature of 42.2 degrees Celsius, the day's highest in the state.

While several western Odisha towns saw temperature rising over 40 degree Celsius, the state capital Bhubaneswar remained slightly cool recording a maximum temperature of 38.8 degrees Celsius, the Bhubaneswar meteorological centre said.