Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, May 13:

Almost half of Odisha today reeled under intense heat wave conditions as as many as 14 places recorded day temperature above 40 degree Celsius.

Western Odisha towns continue to bear the brunt with Titlagarh recording highest temperature of 44.5 degree Celsius and Balangir 44 degree Celsius today followed by Hirakud at 43.6 degree Celsius. Similarly, Jharsuguda boiled at 43.4 degrees, Angul at 43.3 degrees and Sambalpur at 43 degrees.

On the other hand, the toll due to sunstroke increased to five in state.

The office of Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) confirmed that three persons were killed in Angul district, while one casualty each was reported from Sonepur and Dhenkanal.

Notably, the SRC has received 35 alleged sunstroke death cases so far. While inquiry of 11 death cases have been completed, five death reports were confirmed due to sunstroke, said the SRC office.

Meanwhile, the regional meteorological department predicted that rain or thundershower is likely to occur at one or two places in Southern Odisha.

However, nor’wester played havoc at many places across the state as at least five persons were killed. While a minor was killed in lightning strike at Kalyansinghpur block in Rayagada as we reported here, two elderly men died and another was injured after being trapped under an uprooted tree at Agalpur in Balangir district. In a related incident, two persons were killed and as many were injured after a bus passengers’ waiting room wall collapsed due to rain in Ramnaguda block in Gunupur district.