Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said a team of officials from Disaster Management, India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Health Ministry will be sent to assist the states where heatwave is prevailing and incidents have occurred.

Mandaviya will hold a meeting via video conferencing with disaster management officials and ministers of eastern states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Telangana, Jharkhand and Bihar where heat wave conditions are prevailing.

"I have also instructed ICMR to prepare well in advance to prevent heatstroke deaths," said Mandaviya.

Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have reported fatalities due to heatwave in the last week. The Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh has reported over 50 deaths in the last few days as the country is reeling from a sweltering heat wave.

Authorities had warned residents over 60 and others suffering various maladies to stay indoors during the daytime. In Uttar Pradesh, authorities found out that most of the deaths were over 60 years old and had pre-existing health conditions, which may have been exacerbated by the intense heat.

Also, Bihar Disaster Management Minister Shahnawaz on Tuesday said that only four persons have died in the state in heat stroke so far. He claimed that 22 other deaths attributed to heat stroke have been found to be caused by "other factors".

The minister said that only four deaths - two in Jehanabad and two in Bhojpur -were reported during the past 48 hours due to heat stroke in the state. "As far as 22 deaths attributed to heat stroke have been found to be caused by other factors... not heat stroke", said the minister.

Bihar is currently in the grip of a scorching heatwave which has broken the record of 11 years.

The mercury crossed the 43 degrees Celsius mark or more at several places in the state on Monday.

First Published:Jun 20, 2023 2:49 PM IST