Unprecedented heat throws life out of gear

The unprecedented heat in the month of April, the highest-ever in 50 years in the corresponding month, and the heat wave sweeping across the northern, eastern and western parts of India has thrown the normal life out of gear. Sunstroke has taken several death tolls so far and the number is being expected to increase in the coming months.

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In Orissa alone, where the temperature is hovering over 45 degree Celsius in some areas, the death toll has reached the 67, including nine more sunstroke deaths in a week.

‘Four people died in the district of Khordha followed by two each in Jajpur and Balasore districts,’ M R Choudhury, officer on special duty in the state revenue control room told IANS.

The state government has received claims of 67 sunstroke deaths in the past one month of which 31 verified as death due to heat wave while 20 found died of other causes, he said further information was awaited.

The situation in coastal belts is not so grim as temperature is relative low there in comparison to inlands. Jharsuguda town recorded 45.6-degree Celsius temperature Wednesday while western towns of Titilagarh, Bolangir and Sundergarh recorded 45 degree.

In Western India, several districts of Maharashtra viz., Nagpur, Ankola in western Vidarbha and Bhusaval too are reeling under scorching heat, marked 47.1 degree temperature Wednesday. Chandrapur, Wardha, Amravati and Yavatmal too experienced hot day with temperature around 45 degree Celsius.

The intense heat with mercury rising over 46 degree in Churu in the desert state Rajasthan paralysed the normal life. Bikaner (45.4) Jaisalmer (45.3), Jaipur (44.7) degree Celsius too strangled the normal life. Heat wave is expected to be continuing for the next two days in northern parts of Rajasthan and western part of Gujarat.