Only four heat stroke deaths in Bihar so far: Disaster Management Minister

Patna: 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.

Talking to PTI on Tuesday, the minister said the post-mortem reports of five more deaths are awaited.

"Only after getting the post-mortem reports of five more deaths, we will be in a position to say the reason behind the deaths. As of now only four people have so far died because of intense heat wave conditions in the state. Post-mortem examinations of four bodies have confirmed heat stroke as the cause of death".

"As far as 22 deaths attributed to heat stroke have been found to be caused by other factors... not heat stroke", said the minister.

He, however, refused to comment on the press statement issued by the Disaster Management Department (DMD) wing of the Bhojpur district administration on Monday claiming that five people died due to heat stroke in the district in the last two days.

All details are being analysed, the minister said on the statement issued by the Bhojpur district administration.

"We have asked districts across the state to report any deaths that may have taken place because of intense heatwave conditions. Several parts of the state are currently in the grip of a scorching heatwave. The situation is being monitored by the state Disaster Management Department (DMD). We have also advised district authorities to monitor the situation in their respective districts", the minister said.

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.