Bhubaneswar, April 12: As the heatwave gripped most parts of Orissa, the death toll due to suspected sun stroke rose to 37 today though some areas in coastal belt experienced slight respite following fall in temperature.
The death toll due to suspected heat stroke, which stood at 28 till Friday, rose to 37 following nine fresh casualties from districts like Cuttack, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur, official sources said.
Highest number of sun stroke deaths was reported from Cuttack and Mayurbhanj (five each), followed by four in Keonjhar, three each in Ganjam, Sambalpur and Jajpur, two each in Angul, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Khurda and one each in Balasore, Dhenkanal, Jharsuguda, Nayagarh, Puri and Sundargarh.
As heatwave continued in western Orissa, Titlagarh recorded maximum temperature of 45.2 degree Celsius, followed by 44.8 degree in Balangir, 44.5 degree in Sambalpur, 44.4 degree in Hirakud, 44 degree in Sundargarh and 43.
–Agencies