4 voters die amid Met’s orange alert for heatwave in districts during West Bengal elections

KOLKATA: At least four voters in West Midnapore, Malda and Birbhum died—two after returning from poll booths, one inside a booth and one on the way to the polling station —even as a scorcher of a sun beat down on Thursday, the day the first phase of the Assembly election was conducted in Bengal.

The IMD had issued an orange heat warning for one or two places in West Burdwan, where the temperature was likely to soar above 40 degrees Celsius on Thursday. The Met department had also forecast a hot and humid weather condition for places in Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, Birbhum and West Midnapore. Kolkata, too, on Thursday entered another day of intense heat and humidity, with the maximum temperature touching 36.8 degrees Celsius, the highest mark so far this season. While the city's weather is likely to remain hot and humid on Friday also, the Met office predicted rain by the weekend.

Two of the deaths were reported from the Keshpur Assembly constituency in West Midnapore. A 66-year-old resident of Uchahar village, Sk Bablu (66), complained of feeling unwell after he cast his vote after waiting in a queue in the searing heat. He reportedly did manage to return home, where his health deteriorated. He was taken to a hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. The other Keshpur resident, Isratan Biwi (59) from Sima Gediya village, had just left the polling booth and was boarding a toto when she collapsed. She died before she could be taken to a doctor's clinic.

The third death was reported from Malda, where Pramila Bagdi (50), a resident of Khempur village under Malatipur Assembly constituency, suffered a stroke inside booth 153 after she cast her vote. Taken to hospital, she was declared dead.

A senior citizen in Suri, Birbhum, on his way to the polling booth to cast his vote, reportedly suffered a stroke and died.

"We had issued an orange alert for a heatwave or hot and humid weather conditions for a few districts in advance, considering people would be queuing up in the sun to cast their votes. The alert was also accompanied by suggestions as preventive measures," said Regional Meteorological Centre Kolkata head H R Biswas. A Met official said in some of those districts, the mercury remained close to 40 degrees Celsius or above, making the outdoor heat conditions unbearable.

While Kolkata was spared a heatwave condition, the maximum temperature climbed up slightly more than that on Wednesday. While the Met office sees no further mercury rise, relief can be expected not before Saturday. "We are expecting a series of thundershowers from Saturday. In that case, the mercury will start climbing down again, providing a respite from the heat and humidity," added Biswas.

Even as dry westerly and northwesterly winds at the lower level are blowing into the city, Met officials said the wind pattern would start changing in both the upper and lower levels.

(With input from Sujay Khanra & Subhro Maitra)
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