Updated on Thursday, April 24, 2008, 00:00 IST

New Delhi, April 24: Blazing heat conditions prevailed in several parts of the country on Thursday with three persons perishing in the torrid sun, raising the nationwide toll this summer to nine.

People had torrid times as the mercury sizzled above 40 degrees celsius at several places with Akola in Maharashtra being the hottest at 45.3.

Two persons died in West Bengal's Birbhum and Purulia districts of heat stroke, officials said. A policeman had died of Sun stroke on April 22 in Kolkata while on duty.

in Orissa, a 22-year-old boy died in Angul district as the toll in the state alone rose to six. However, unofficial figures put the state's death toll at 38. Jharsuguda was again the hottest place in the state at 42.6 degrees.

Heat wave gripped most parts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh with maximum temperatures remaining above 40 degrees in many areas even as the weathermen have said the scene is likely to aggravate further in the next couple of days.

In the plains of Punjab and Haryana, Hisar continued to be the hottest place with a high of 42.4 degrees that was four notches above normal. The maximum temperature in most parts of the region remained two to five degrees above normal.

Delhiites too sweated it out at 40.1 degrees.

Rajasthan too blazed under the sun with Dholpur registering a high of 44 degrees.

in the north-eastern state of Mizoram, where summers see mercury recording 20-30 degrees celsius, an intense heat wave has gripped the state.

The mercury on Thursday went up to an unprecedented 34 degrees. The highest temperature recorded in the state was 36.1 degrees on April 28, 1999.

Bureau Report