Odisha reports 45 more heatstroke deaths in 24 hrs, taking national toll to 211

Digital Desk: The nationwide toll of suspected heatstroke deaths has crossed 200, with Odisha reporting 45 new fatalities, even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted a decrease in the intensity of heatwave conditions over northwest, central, and eastern India in the next three days.

In the last 24 hours, Odisha recorded 45 deaths due to suspected heatstroke, bringing the state’s total to 141, the highest in the country. Bihar reported one death, with a constable on poll duty succumbing to suspected heatstroke in Aurangabad's Daudnagar district. This brought the nationwide toll to 211 on Sunday.

The Odisha government confirmed that post-mortem examinations have identified heatstroke as the cause of death in 26 of the 45 recent cases. Over the past three days, the state has seen 35 heatstroke-related deaths, predominantly from its western regions. Sundargarh district, one of the hardest-hit areas, reported 35 suspected heatstroke deaths in three days, with autopsies confirming six of these as sunstroke cases, according to Ashutosh Kulkarni, the additional district magistrate of Sundargarh.

Balangir district has reported 20 suspected sunstroke deaths, with four confirmed due to heat-related illness, while investigations continue for the remaining 16 cases. Sambalpur district reported 18 suspected cases; post-mortem examinations confirmed sunstroke as the cause in five of the seven cases examined, with results pending for the other 11 cases, according to Sambalpur collector Akshay Sunil Agrawal.

In Bihar, Ram Bhajan Singh, a constable on poll duty, died after fainting in a bus carrying electronic voting machines (EVMs) in Aurangabad's Daudnagar on Saturday. He was transported to Patna's AIIMS, where he was declared dead.

The IMD forecast indicates that heatwave conditions are likely to persist in five western districts of Odisha until Wednesday, with coastal districts experiencing hot and humid conditions until the onset of the southwest monsoon. However, some parts of Odisha experienced Norwester rains, accompanied by lightning and strong winds, providing temporary relief.