New Delhi:
The grinding heat wave continued unabated with many states recording maximum temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius on Sunday even as nine persons perished in the torrid sun in West Bengal and Gujarat, taking the nationwide toll to 24.
Six more persons died of heatstroke in West Bengal's Burdwan district, taking the statewide death toll to 11, officials said.
Hot conditions in Gujarat claimed three lives in Narmada, Bhavnagar and Rajkot districts as temperatures in the state hovered between 41 and 45 degrees Celsius.
Heat wave conditions prevailed in Jharkhand with Bokaro registering the season's highest at 46 degrees. The steel city of Jamshedpur had a high of 42.4 degrees.
The national capital had a maximum temperature of 40 degrees, two notches above normal but a notch lower than Saturday's season high of 41.
With the low pressure area over Bay of Bengal concentrating into a depression, entire coastal Orissa had a considerable respite from the fortnight-long searing heat and is set to experience some rainfall soon, weathermen predicted.
Sundargarh recorded the highest temperature at 42.9 degrees, followed by Jharsuguda at 41.6 and Angul at 41.3.
While there were reports of 50 deaths due to heat from different parts of Orissa during the fortnight, only six were confirmed officially.
Heat wave conditions also continued in Bihar as the mercury soared to 43.7 degrees in Gaya and 42.6 degrees in capital Patna.
Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh also experienced scorching conditions with many places recording maximum temperatures of over 40 degrees.