Heat claims two more lives in Kerela

Kottayam/Kannur: Two more deaths related to heatstroke have been reported from the state on Friday . A man who had gone for fishing near his home died in Kaduthuruthy in Kottayam. Sabu (43) was found lying unconscious by his neighbour with severe burns on his body. Though he was rushed to a hospital, his life could not be saved. In Kannur, 65-year-old Joseph of Manatti was found passed out near a coconut plantation around noon.
"He must have died on the spot but whether he died of heatstroke can be ascertained only after the post-mortem," said district medical officer (DMO) Baby P K.However, authorities at the Pariyaram Medical College, where the body has been kept, has prima facie concluded that he died of sunstroke.
Three other people suffered sunburn in the district. Kannur has seen temperatures soaring up to 39 degree Celsius for the last few days. So far, six sunburn cases have been reported in the district this month. For the third consecutive day , Malampuzha in Palakaad district recorded the highest temperature of 41.7 degrees Celsius in the state.
Seventy cases of sun burn and one death has so far been reported from the district even as Kerala has approached the Centre to declare the state as `drought hit'. The government has also decided to give Rs four lakh assistance to the next of kin of those who had died due to the sizzling heat.