Heatwave Causes Multiple Deaths in Jharkhand; Health Department Issues Directives

Special Arrangements for Heat Stroke Patients Ordered Across State

The Health Department has instructed civil surgeons in all districts to make special arrangements for those affected by heat stroke and extreme heat.

RANCHI – The Health Department has advised civil surgeons in all districts to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to assist individuals impacted by heat stroke and extreme heat.

Tragically, four individuals lost their lives to heat stroke in Hunterganj block of Chatra district. The victims were identified as Maheshwar Sao, Bal Govind Sao, Mohammad Ilyas, and Kaleshwar Thakur. These unfortunate incidents occurred between Thursday and Friday.

In Palamu, another tragic incident occurred when Suresh Ram from Bara village in Chhatarpur police station area lost his life to a heat stroke on Friday. This unfortunate event adds to the already distressing seven deaths reported on Thursday.

In the past four days, a significant number of bats have unfortunately perished in Hazaribagh, Giridih, Garhwa, Latehar, and Ranchi, possibly as a result of the intense heat.

The Animal Husbandry Department has sent samples of deceased bats to a high-level laboratory in Pune for analysis, as they suspect a virus may also be a contributing factor.

In the village of Sundipur in the Kandi block of Garhwa district, numerous villagers resorted to cooking and consuming deceased bats.

After discovering this, Shekhar Jamuwar, the Deputy Commissioner of Garhwa, promptly notified the health department, resulting in the establishment of a medical camp in the village.

Twenty-five villagers were examined, and thankfully, no side effects were observed in those who consumed the bat meat.

In the districts of Garhwa and Palamu, where the heat has taken a toll, there was a slight decrease of one degree in temperature on Friday. However, unfortunately, relief is still hard to come by.

As per the latest update from the Meteorological Department, Garhwa experienced scorching temperatures of 46.5 degrees Celsius, while Palamu recorded a high of 46 degrees Celsius on Friday.

There has been a decrease in temperature in several districts, but Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla, and Chatra are still experiencing temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius.

The Health Department is closely monitoring the situation and wants to ensure everyone stays safe by taking necessary precautions to prevent heat-related illnesses.