Date:11/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/11/stories/2008051156720100.htm

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Orissa heat wave toll mounts to 28

Bhubaneswar: The death toll in the gruelling heat in Orissa rose to 28 on Saturday with four more deaths confirmed during the last two days, official sources said.

The highest number of deaths of five each were reported in Khurda, Dhenkanal and Jagatsinghpur districts, followed by four in Dhenkanal, two each in Jajpur, Puri and Sambalpur districts, sources said.

Three persons died of sun stroke in Angul district.

Unofficial sources, however, put the death toll at 113. Titlagarh in Bolangir district was the hottest place in the State recording a maximum of 44 degrees Celsius.

The temperature on Saturday dipped below 40 degrees Celsius in the coastal region and Bhubaneswar and its adjoining areas recording a maximum of 36.1 degrees Celsius. against 44 degree celsius on May three, the sources said.

The mercury, however, remained above 40 degrees Celsius in many places in western and southern regions besides Bolangir. — PTI