Amid heat wave India's Odisha reports first sunstroke death

NEW DELHI, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Amid the prevailing heat wave India's eastern state of Odisha has recorded a death due to sunstroke and 71 cases of heat-related illness, officials said Saturday.

According to local health officials, a 62-year-old man died from sunstroke in the state's Balasore district on Friday.

Odisha's Director of Public Health, Niranjan Mishra said the highest 35 cases of heat-related illness were reported from the state's Sundargarh district.

Odisha has been reeling under a scattered heatwave for the last few days with the mercury rising beyond 40 degrees Celsius in many places.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) center in Bhubaneswar said on Friday Boudh town in Odisha registered the state's highest temperature at 44.3 degrees Celsius followed by Baripada at 44.2 degrees Celsius.

Amid the soaring temperatures, the local government on Thursday announced the closure of schools for three days to protect children from the heat wave. The IMD said heat wave to severe heat wave spell is likely to continue over east India until Tuesday.

Earlier this month, the IMD said the South Asian country would face extreme heat from April to June with the central and western peninsular regions expected to be the worst affected.

Heat-related illnesses include heat rash, heat oedema (swelling of hands, feet, and ankles), fainting and heat stroke.