Death toll due to sunstroke rises to 19 in Odisha

With another death due to sunstroke reported on Wednesday, the toll in Odisha has mounted to 19 even as the mercury dipped in many areas providing much-needed respite from intense heat in the state.

A report from Special Relief Commissioner's (SRC) office said death toll due to sunstroke increased to 19 following a death reported from Balasore district, while the number of alleged deaths due to heat related incidents increased to 191 from 188.

Sonepur in western region turned out to be the hottest place in the state recording a high of 41.4 degrees Celsius, the MeT office here said. It was followed by Sambalpur, also in the western belt, which recorded a maximum temperature of 41.3 degrees Celsius, followed by 40.1 degrees Celsius in Hirakud, 40 degrees Celsius in Bolangir, 39.8 degrees Celsius in Jharsuguda and 39.5 degrees Celsius in Sundargarh, it said.
  
The state capital of Bhubaneswar recorded a maximum temperature of 36.8 degrees Celsius coupled by relative humidity of 75 per cent, while Cuttack city recorded a high of 34.6 degrees Celsius.