Odisha Confirms 30 Heatstroke Deaths Amid Intense Heatwave

The Odisha government has confirmed 30 deaths due to sunstroke this season, according to the Special Relief Commissioner. A press release from the commissioner’s office detailed the situation, noting a significant number of reported cases and ongoing inquiries.

“During this summer, we have received 147 cases of alleged sunstroke deaths. Of these, 30 have been confirmed, 20 were not due to sunstroke, and 97 cases are still under investigation by district collectors,” the statement read.

As of June 2, collectors have reported a total of 141 alleged sunstroke deaths. Of these, 26 have been confirmed as sunstroke-related, while eight were found to be unrelated.

“Over the last 24 hours, six new alleged sunstroke deaths have been reported. Four of these have been confirmed as sunstroke deaths, and 12 were determined not to be due to sunstroke from the list pending investigation,” the release added.

April saw extreme temperatures across Odisha, with 18 cities recording temperatures above 41 degrees Celsius. The coal mining region of Talcher experienced the highest at 43.2 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

In response to the ongoing heatwave, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting on Sunday to review the country’s preparedness and the upcoming monsoon. The Prime Minister was briefed that heatwave conditions are expected to persist in parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh, according to IMD forecasts.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) stated that this year’s monsoon is likely to be normal or above normal in most parts of the country, though parts of Peninsular India may experience below-normal rainfall.