Orissa heat deaths rise to 10

BHUBANESWAR: The toll due to searing heat in Orissa rose to 10 on Tuesday as temperatures remained high in the state's western part while people in the coastal belt had some relief due to a cyclonic storm over Bay of Bengal.

One death each was reported from Khurda and Mayurbhanj districts, raising the statewide toll to 10, officials said.

Though the maximum temperature in Bhubaneswar dropped to 36.5 degrees Celsius, sultry conditions prevailed in and around the city due to high humidity level.

The coastal belt in the state experienced considerable fall in the mercury level under the impact of the very severe cyclonic storm which is expected to intensify and lead to rain and thunderstorm under its impact, Met officials said.

There was, however, no specific warning from the Met office.

Talcher town in the coal belt of Angul district recorded 43 degrees, while the maximum temperature at Sundergarh was 42.4.

Though the government received complaints about 56 heat-related deaths, it confirmed 10 -- three in Angul, two each in Dhenkanal and Mayurbhanj and one each in Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur and Khurda.