The Odisha state government has received allegations of ten additional heatwave-related deaths over the past week, bringing the total number of such allegations this season to twenty-six. Despite these claims, the government has officially confirmed only three fatalities due to sunstroke, as per the latest situation report released by the Special Relief Commissioner’s (SRC) office on Thursday.
Confirmed Deaths and Investigations
Earlier, on May 22, the SRC office had confirmed three sunstroke deaths out of sixteen allegations reported until then. Those confirmed cases were from Balangir, Subarnapur, and Sundargarh districts. The latest report does not add any new confirmed sunstroke deaths, indicating that the remaining allegations remain under investigation.
The SRC report also noted that six cases have been negated by the concerned District Emergency Operation Centres (DEOCs) after post-mortem reports were received, confirming that those deaths were not caused by heatwave conditions. This rigorous verification process ensures that only genuine heat-related casualties are officially recorded.
Other Weather-Related Fatalities
Apart from heat-related incidents, the SRC confirmed two lightning deaths during May—one in Mayurbhanj district and another in Keonjhar district. Additionally, one death was confirmed in Athamalik tehsil of Angul district due to Kalabaisakhi (nor’wester) on Wednesday. These incidents highlight the diverse severe weather phenomena affecting the state.
Weather conditions remained severe in many parts of Odisha. On Thursday, twelve locations recorded temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. The SRC warned that heatwave conditions are very likely to prevail at isolated places in Sambalpur, Boudh, Nuapada, Bolangir, Sonepur, and Kalahandi districts. Warm night conditions are also expected at isolated places in Balangir and Sambalpur.
Forecast and Precautions
Hot and humid conditions are anticipated at isolated places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghapur, Cuttack, Sonepur, Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, and Nayagarh districts. The report further stated that light to moderate rain or thunderstorms are very likely at one or two places across twenty-four districts, while dry weather may continue in the remaining districts. Thunderstorms and gusty surface winds are expected to bring some relief by reducing temperatures in several areas.
Residents are advised to stay hydrated, avoid direct sun exposure during peak hours, and follow official guidelines to prevent heat-related illnesses. The SRC continues to monitor the situation closely and urges public cooperation in reporting any heatwave-related incidents.
