Sambalpur: Severe heatwave along with soaring mercury level has allegedly claimed 41 lives in western Odisha and left more than 60 hospitalised in the last 24 hours.
Twelve people have died in Rourkela so far. Ten deaths at Roukela Government Hospital (RGH) were reported within six and a half hours starting from 1 pm on Thursday. Eight persons were received dead, while two others died while undergoing treatment at the hospital. Another two succumbed late in the night, according to Additional District Magistrate Ashutosh Kulkarni.
He further mentioned that 23 patients are still undergoing treatment at RGH and their condition is stable while 10 have been referred to a high-tech hospital. The Health department has also begun an investigation into these unnatural deaths.
Likewise, eight people in Sambalpur, four in Sundargarh, six in Balangir, seven in Jharsuguda and three in other districts of western Odisha have reportedly died of suspected heatstroke.“Detailed inquiry would be conducted to know the reasons responsible for so many deaths in one day,” HT reported Sundargarh collector Dr Parag Harshad Gavali as saying. More than 60 have also been hospitalised in several parts of western Odisha, the report added.
The office of Special Relief Commissioner, however, has so far confirmed five sunstroke deaths (Balasore-1, Dhenkanal-1, Mayurbhanj-1, Sonepur-1 and Balangir-1). Sundargarh and Jharsuguda have reported alleged 12 and six cases of sunstroke deaths, respectively. Postmortem is being conducted to ascertain the exact cause of the deaths,” it added.
It is pertinent to note here that mercury rose above 45°C at nine places in Odisha on Thursday with Jharsuguda being the hottest place at 47°C. The other places with temperatures above 45°C, included Titlagarh at 46.5°C, Bargarh at 46.3°C, Sambalpur at 46.2°C, Malkangiri at 45.6°C, Sonepur at 45.6°C, Bhawanipatna at 45.5°C, Balangir at 45.3°C and Hirakud at 45.2°C.