Titlagarh sears at 46.5

BHUBANESWAR: There was no escape from the unrelenting heat as the mercury kept soaring across the State on Friday. Titlagarh emerged as one of the hottest towns in the country with the maximum day temperature reading 46.5 degree Celsius.The Met department extended its heatwave warning for another two days. The conditions could get severe, it warned, saying that day temperatures were two to three degree Celsius above normal across the eastern parts.Meanwhile, two more deaths, allegedly due to sunstroke, were reported on Friday with the toll standing at 41. The State Government confirmed just two of them __ one from Angul and the second one from Balangir, where a woman fell victim to the sweltering conditions. Jagatsinghpur continues to be on top of the list with report of seven alleged deaths due to heatwave.The weather office offered some solace by stating that thunder squalls are likely in some places, but western and northern districts reeled under the heatwave. Titlagarh recorded 46.5 degree, Sambalpur was as hot with 46. Sonepur, Jharsuguda, Hirakud, Sundargarh, Bhawanipatna and Balangir continued to sizzle.The severe heatwave prompted the Government to review the drinking water projects in both urban and rural areas. By April 15, at least 1.40 lakh tube wells and sanitary pumps were found wanting for repair. Of the 7,633 pipe water projects, the Government verified the condition of 7,000-odd in two phases and directed their maintenance.In Bhubaneswar, where mercury had dropped on Thursday, saw a rise in the day temperature on Friday. With the temperature reading 41.4, the Nandankanan Zoological Park authorities arranged special measures for the inmates to beat the heat. Tigers were given spray baths while the animal park has deferred its animal exchange in view of the scorching conditions.“We were to bring in a giraffe from Bihar, but that has been postponed because the animal may be affected by the conditions and long hours of travel,” an  official said.