At least 124 hospitalised, 1 dead in Odisha due to intense heatwave

Bhubaneswar: Due to an intense heat wave prevalent in Odisha, at least 124 persons from 16 districts have been hospitalised and 1 has died till yesterday, said Public Health Director Niranjan Mishra.

A maximum of 32 heat wave-related hospitalisations were reported from Sundargarh town and 12 from Rourkela City of Sundargarh district, followed by Capital Hospital of Bhubaneswar (15), Angul (10), and Mayurbhanj (10). Other districts have reported in single digits, the senior official stated.

With mercury on the rise at several places in Odisha, at least eighteen places of the State witnessed day temperatures at 40 Degrees Celsius or above, today.

Paralakhemundi town recorded the highest maximum (day) temperature at 42.8 Degrees Celsius. It was followed by Nayagarh (42.2), Bhubaneswar, and Bolangir each (41.8), Angul (41.7), Malkangiri (41.5), Baripada, and Nuapada each (41.2), Titilagarh (41.0), Boudh (40.7), Bhawanipatna (40.6), Chandbali (40.4), Balasore (40.3), Jharsuguda (40.2) and Talcher, Sonepur, Jajpur, and Kendrapara each (40.0).

Temperature forecast: No large change in maximum (day) temperature during the next 48 hours and a gradual rise by 2°C to 4°C during the subsequent three days at many places over the districts of Odisha.

People are to take precautionary measures while going outside during the day hours between 1100 Hrs IST and 1500 Hrs IST, a special bulletin of the IMD regional centre in Bhubaneswar advised.