Nagpur: Second Capital of the State is facing a severe heatwave with the mercury reaching around 45 degrees Celsius. With this, the cases of heat stroke have been rising drastically across Maharashtra and Nagpur is the worst affected, reveals State Health Department.
Maharashtra reported more than 300 cases of heat-related illness and 21 heatstroke deaths in March 2022. Seven of the deaths — the highest — were in Nagpur. It is followed by four in Jalgaon, three in Akola, and two in Jalna districts. One heatstroke death each was reported in Amravati, Aurangabad, Hingoli, Osmanabad, and Parbhani districts, states the data tabled by Maharashtra Health Department.
At 262, the Nagpur division recorded the highest number of heat-related illnesses. Of the total 338 cases of heat-related illness, 29 were from Akola, 21 from Pune, 14 from Nashik, 10 from Aurangabad, and one each from Latur and Kolhapur divisions
It is pertinent to mention that While no heat-related deaths were recorded in 2020-2021 in the state, 43 heat-related deaths were reported in 2016-2019.
Notably, India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for the Vidarbha for the next four days as a blistering heatwave sweeps through vast swathes of the country.
