Bihar: Heat stroke claims 43 lives during past 24 hours

Heat stroke has claimed 43 lives during the past 24 hours in Bihar. Maximum 30 deaths have been reported from Aurangabad, while 7 people died in Gaya and 6 in Nawada districts, official sources said.

Over 70 people are undergoing treatment in different hospitals in these districts. Chief Medical officer of Aurangabad Surendra Kumar Singh said more than 30 people are undergoing treatment with symptoms of dizziness, dehydration and severe headache.

Patna recorded its highest maximum temperature in the past 10 years at 45.8 degrees celsius on Saturday, the meteorological department here said.

Residents of the state capital singed under blistering heat wave condition, as the city's maximum temperature was 9.2 degrees above normal, the Patna Meteorological Centre said.

The minimum temperature was 31 degrees celsius, 4.2 notches above normal for this time of the year.

According to a Met department bulletin, Gaya recorded 45.2 degrees celsius, Bhagalpur 41.5 degrees celsius and Purnea 35.9 degrees celsius.

The Met department has forecast heat wave conditions on Sunday as well in Patna, Gaya and Bhagalpur.

Meanwhile, the Bihar government on Saturday said all schools in the city will remain closed till June 19 in view of the prevailing weather condition.

Patna district magistrate Kumar Ravi said all government and private schools of Patna will remain shut till June 19, due to persisting heatwave-like condition for the past several days, an official release said. A number of private schools were scheduled to open in the week starting June 17 after the summer vacation.

This is the second time the district administration has extended suspension of academic activities in schools due to the weather. Earlier on June 9, the DM had ordered closure of schools till June 16.