ROURKELA: Amid the prevailing heatwave conditions, one person has been officially confirmed dead due to sunstroke in Sundargarh district, while several other suspected heat-related deaths are under investigation.
According to the district emergency office, the death of Gabriel Munda (58) of Koida block on April 26 was officially attributed to heatstroke based on the postmortem report. However, the death of another person from Kuanrmunda block was found to have occurred due to other reasons.
Officials said allegations of two heatstroke deaths, one each from Subdega and Sadar blocks, in April and May could not be confirmed as the families had cremated the bodies without postmortem examinations.
Meanwhile on May 21 and 23, two persons were found unconscious in Lahunipada and Bargaon blocks respectively and later died during treatment. Authorities said postmortem reports are awaited to ascertain the exact causes of death.
In the latest suspected heatstroke case, a homeless man was found lying unconscious at Uditnagar in Rourkela on Sunday afternoon. He was admitted to the Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH), where he died shortly afterwards.
Sundargarh district emergency officer Ashwini Panda said so far, one death has been officially confirmed as caused by heatstroke. All other suspected cases are under joint verification.
District public health officer Dr Sibasish Maharana said all community health centres (CHCs), along with the district headquarters hospital, Sundargarh Government Medical College and Hospital and the RGH, have air-conditioned rooms for patients suffering from heat exhaustion.
Dr Maharana said most patients recover after timely treatment, though some cases turn critical due to delayed hospitalisation. He added that many commuters ride motorcycles without protective gear and labourers often travel atop trucks under direct sunlight, leading to dehydration, excessive sweating, and heat exhaustion.
He further said awareness campaigns on heatwave safety measures would be intensified, urging people to stay hydrated and avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.
The district has been reeling under severe heatwave conditions for the past several days, with temperatures consistently remaining above 42 degrees Celsius and humidity levels ranging between 68 and 90 per cent.