Heatwave Alert - Kolkata to Hit 40 Degrees, Odisha reports Sunstroke
India battles severe heat waves; rising temperatures in Kolkata and Odisha report the season's first sunstroke death.
As intense heatwave conditions affect India, the weather department predicts Kolkata's temperature to exceed 40 degrees soon. The heatwave is expected to persist in East India until April 23.
Heatwave Alert in Bengal covers seven districts, including Birbhum, Paschim and Purba Medinipur, Bankura, Jhargram, and Paschim Bardhaman. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) warns of severe heatwave conditions in Odisha on April 20 and in West Bengal until April 22.
Odisha reports its first sunstroke death of the season. Laxmikanta Sahu, 62, from Balasore district, succumbed to sunstroke on April 15, marking the onset of summer fatalities.
West Bengal experiences early summer heat due to dry westerly winds and intense solar radiation. Paschim Bardhaman's Panagarh district records the highest temperature at 44 degrees Celsius, followed by Suri, Medinipur, and Jhargram at 43.5 degrees Celsius.Kolkata experiences a high temperature warning as the mercury climbs to 40.8 degrees Celsius, exacerbating discomfort.
In Odisha, 71 individuals are hospitalised due to heat-related illnesses, with Sundargarh reporting the highest number of cases. Boudh records the highest temperature at 44.3 degrees Celsius, followed closely by Baripada at 44.2 degrees Celsius.
Several other stations, including Angul, Jharsuguda, Bolangir, Titlagarh, Malkangiri, Bhawanipatna, and Nayagarh, report temperatures at or above 43 degrees Celsius. Bhubaneswar, the capital, records a maximum temperature of 41.4 degrees Celsius amidst a summer weather alert.
