Bhubaneswar: The sunstroke death toll in Odisha on Monday mounted to 25 even as the mercury level fell in all places with the highest temperature of the day being recorded at 40.2 degree Celsius in the state capital Bhubaneswar.
A report received from the state's Special Relief Commissioner's (SRC) office said at least 25 persons have so far died of sunstroke even as the revenue department received 131 cases allegedly due to heat related incidents in the state.
While the highest number of seven sunstroke casualties were confirmed from the coastal Ganjam district, it was followed by five in Kendrapara district, three in Bargarh district and two each in Cuttack and Rayagada districts.
This apart, one sunstroke death each was confirmed by the Collectors of Angul, Balasore, Balangir, Dhenkanal, Nuapada and Puri districts, the SRC officials said, adding, of the 131 cases, 33 deaths took place due to some other reasons.
Seventy two other cases were still under investigation by district Collectors, they said.
A report from the local IMD office said Bhubaneswar recorded a temperature of 40.2 degree C, which was followed by Malkangiri (40), Angul (39.7) and Sundergarh and Talcher (39.5).
Barring Bhubaneswar and Malkangiri, all stations recorded temperatures below 40 degree C, the IMD said.
Meanwhile, the IMD predicted thunder squall accompanied with hail and gusty wind speeds reaching 70 kmph at one or two places over the districts of Jajpur, Keonjhar, Angul, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Boud, Bargarh, Dhenkanal, Cuttack and Khurda.
