Heat wave forces Orissa to close schools

BHUBANESWAR - With the mercury hovering around 44 degrees Celsius in many parts of Orissa for over two weeks, the state government Saturday ordered closure of all government and private schools from April 20.

“The impact of the heat wave may be very serious for children returning from school,” a senior official of the department of school and mass education told IANS.

“It has, therefore, been decided that all schools will close for summer vacation from April 20,” he said.

Talcher town in Angul district Saturday recorded a maximum of 44.6 degrees Celsius, the day’s highest temperature in the state.

Several other places in the state also recorded very high temperatures including Jharsuguda (44.4 degrees Celsius) and Titilagarh (44.2 degrees Celsius).

The state government has confirmed at least eight sunstroke deaths this summer, although non-official sources put it at 58.