PATNA: As many as 45 unconfirmed deaths due to heat wave were reported in Bihar in the last three days even as the state government denied any heat-related deaths so far, as light to moderate showers in many parts brought some relief on Sunday.
“No death due to heat has been reported so far in the state this year,” said Pratyaya Amrit, Bihar’s additional chief secretary of the disaster management and health departments.
Hospital sources, however, said that 12 deaths, many related to heat, were reported at the Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) and the Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH) during the last 24 hours.
The two hospitals in Patna had recorded 35 deaths, most due to heat, between Friday and Saturday, of which NMCH accounted for 19 and PMCH 16, according to unconfirmed reports.
Dr. IS Thakur and Dr. Rajeev Ranjan, medical superintendents of the PMCH and NMCH, respectively, did not respond to repeated phone calls on Sunday.
In the absence of post-mortem examination, the state health department had asked medical superintendents to issue show-cause notices to such doctors or officials who issued statements to the media on deaths due to heat.
Doctors, without being named, said most casualties during the past couple of days were due to heat-related illness, as the patients had symptoms of high fever, headache, diarrhea, nausea, and altered sensorium.
Meanwhile, light to moderate showers was recorded in parts of Patna, Katihar, Purnia, Araria, Supaul, Kishanganj, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Saran, Gopalganj, Bhojpur, Buxar, Arwal, Aurangabad, Rohtas, on Sunday, as per the dashboard of the Bihar Mausam Seva Kendra. Banka received the highest rainfall of 2.5 mm, said an IMD official.
The rains brought some respite from the scorching heat, even as the day’s highest temperature in Patna hovered around 42.5 degrees Celsius, the same as Banka, said a Met official. The rains brought down the day’s highest temperature to 30.2 degree Celsius at Araria and 34.3 degree Celsius at Katihar.
However, IMD officials said the monsoon would take some more time to become active in Bihar though it arrived in the northeastern parts of the state on June 12.
“ Due to cyclone Biparjoy, westerly winds have been intense and it’s one factor which has obstructed the progress of the monsoon in Bihar from eastern parts. The monsoon is expected to become favorable next week,” said Anand Shankar, a scientist at IMD, Patna.
According to IMD officials, the monsoon is likely to cover Bihar by June 26 onwards. “ The monsoon will be normal and there could be less than normal rains,” said another IMD official.
“Heatwave is expected at Rohtas, Kaimur, and Buxar on Monday,” said the IMD official.
