RANCHI/ DUMKA, April 30: Severe heatwave conditions gripped parts of Jharkhand on Tuesday with Baharagora in East Singhbhum district recording a maximum temperature of 47.1 degrees Celsius.
The weather department issued an ‘Orange Alert’ for severe heatwave in 11 Jharkhand districts for Wednesday as mercury may go up by two to three degrees Celsius above the existing, an official said.
Amid the severe heatwave, two persons were found lying unconscious near the Dumka bus stand on Tuesday afternoon.
Dumka town police station in-charge Amit Kumar Lakra said, “They were brought to Phulo Jhano Medical College and Hospital, where one person was declared brought dead. The other person is undergoing treatment,” he said.
The deceased was identified as 32-year-old Shiv Kumar Mandal.
The hospital superintendent Dr Anukaran Purty told PTI, “Whether the person died in heatstroke or some other reasons could be known only after the postmortem. The blood sample of another person, who is under treatment, will also be taken to ascertain the cause of his unconsciousness.
Severe heatwave was observed at Sahibganj, Godda, Pakur, Dumka, Jamtara, Deoghar, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Seraikela-Kharswan, East and West Singhbhum on Tuesday. It may continue even on Wednesday, a weather official said.
The highest maximum temperature was recorded at Baharagora in East Singhhum district at 47.1 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, while Jamshedpur town, Godda and Seraikela registered 45.5 degrees Celsius.
Palamu and Pakur simmered at 44 degrees Celsius and Daltonganj at 43.8 degrees Celsius. Even Jharkhand’s capital Ranchi, which once known as the summer capital of undivided Bihar, has registered 40.1 degrees Celsius, 3.4 degrees above the normal.
In-charge of Ranchi Meteorological Centre Abhishek Anand told PTI, “Severe heatwave gripped about half of Jharkhand. The situation is likely to prevail for the next 48 hours with possibility of mercury rising by two to three degrees.
On Bharagora recording such high temperatures, he said mining activities and pollution could be one of the reasons for temperature reaching above 47 degrees Celsius.
“Partial relief is expected from the soaring mercury from April 4 with possibility of rainfall in state’s Santhal Paragana region,” he said. (PTI)