Six heat deaths claimed in Sundargarh district in Odisha

The summer has been too harsh for Rourkela city and rest of Sundargarh district. 
Image for representational purpose only.
Image for representational purpose only.

ROURKELA: THE summer has been too harsh for Rourkela city and rest of Sundargarh district. The suffering due to heat too has been long since it began in the third week of March.

With no trace of rainfall in the rest of the district barring Sundargarh town, the heat is becoming unbearable. At least six persons are alleged to have died due to excessive exposure to heat.

Sources in Sundargarh District Emergency Office (DEO) said claims of four sunstroke deaths were received in the first week of April when mercury was hovering between 43 and 45 degree Celsius. Bisra block and Panposh and Bonai subdivisions accounted for one death each, while two deaths were reported in Sadar block of Sundargarh sub-division.

Two more deaths were reported on Friday.  Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH), Dr R C Behera, said a woman labourer (42), undergoing treatment for heat stroke at RGH, died on Friday night. But the autopsy report is yet to confirm it as sunstroke death, he added. At least 18 others, suffering from heat stress condition, were successfully treated at RGH, the CMO added.

Meanwhile, CITU workers claimed that a contractual worker, Gabriel Munda (40), collapsed at Kalta iron mines on Friday forenoon and died.Incidentally, Rourkela and areas in Panposh sub-division have been experiencing a prolonged spell of intense heat. On April 22, the mercury had touched 46.6 degree Celsius at Rourkela, while on Saturday it was 45.6.

However, the maximum temperature in Sundargarh town, about 100 km from Rourkela, dropped on Sunday. The town received 14 mm rainfall on April 19 which helped in bringing down the temperature for some days. Meanwhile, life continues to be affected with slums in both urban and remote rural pockets facing a shortage of drinking water. On the other hand, the Government ban on not to engage construction labourers from 11 am to 3.30 pm is being flouted.

Merciless sun  

Four unofficial sunstroke deaths were reported in the first week of April when mercury was hovering between 43 and 45 degree Celsius

Bisra block and Panposh and Bonai subdivisions  accounted for one death each

Two deaths were reported in Sadar block of Sundargarh sub-division

Two more deaths were reported on April 28

At least 18 others, suffering from heat stress condition, were successfully treated at RGH

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