Four people succumbed to heatstroke at Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) in Sundargarh on Friday morning, according to an official statement.
Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Rourkela, Ashutosh Kulkarni, detailed the heatwave-related deaths, stating, “Fifty patients were admitted to RGH Hospital yesterday due to extreme heatwave conditions in the district. Unfortunately, four people died from heatstroke at the hospital.”
Kulkarni further mentioned, “Currently, 25 patients are still admitted to RGH, with more than 10 referred to the high-tech hospital. Eight people were brought in dead, and post-mortem investigations are underway.”
Earlier, five people died from heatstroke at a hospital in Bihar’s Aurangabad district. The heatwave death toll in Aurangabad has risen to 17 as of Friday.
Heatwave conditions have been relentless across parts of India, claiming at least 54 lives and pushing temperatures to extreme highs. Bihar has been the worst-hit state, with over 24 deaths attributed to the severe heat. Other states, including Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, have also reported fatalities.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings of severe heatwave conditions expected to persist for several days. Cities like Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu are experiencing sweltering temperatures.
In response to the heatwave, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued necessary guidelines for the state administration. Special arrangements have also been implemented at RML Hospital in Delhi to treat heatstroke patients effectively.
According to IMD data, maximum temperatures were markedly above normal in parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi on May 28.
Meanwhile, several villages in the Melghat region of Maharashtra’s Amravati district are facing a severe water crisis, forcing residents to collect water from polluted sources. The situation has intensified during the peak summer, with residents of Mariampur village resorting to digging pits on the banks of a polluted pond for drinking water. Locals have raised concerns over the lack of government action, citing the absence of water tankers and malfunctioning taps.
The IMD forecasted that the heatwave conditions in Northwest and Central India would gradually subside from May 30. However, hot and humid weather is expected to persist in isolated parts of Konkan and Goa on May 30 and 31.
