Bhubaneswar:
Odisha reeled under severe heatwave with seven districts recording temperatures above 44 degrees Celsius today, while one person died of sunstroke taking the toll this season to 22.
The highest temperature of 45.5 degrees C was recorded at Titlagarh, while six other places in the western region of the state - Sambalpur and Bhawanipatna (44.8), Jharsuguda (44.1), Hirakud (44.3), Balangir and Sundergarh (44) witnessed unbearable heatwave conditions, MeT officials said.
At least 13 other places across the state also recorded temperatures above 40 degrees C, they said, adding that the maximum temperature in the city was 40.4 degrees C.
A report from the Special Relief Commissioner's office confirmed the death of one person due to sunstroke in Kendrapara district taking the toll to 22 in the state this summer.
Sunstroke so far has claimed four lives each in Mayurbhanj and Kendrapara districts followed by three in Balangir district, two each in Cuttack, Jajpur and Keonjhar, officials said, adding that one death each was recorded in Angul, Balasore, Bhadrak, Dhenkanal and Khurda districts.
The MeT office predicted thundersquall accompanied with hail and gusty wind in one or two places in the state though the heatwave conditions would prevail in the interior areas.