Sambalpur has emerged as the epicentre of what has been a relentless heat wave in Western Orissa, for two weeks now.

"The heat is intolerable. It's safer to stay indoors. But we have no choice," says a rickshaw puller.
 
The desperation of poverty makes a bitter picture, in what is the hottest April for Sambalpur in 100 years, making it also the country's hottest zone right now.
 
"The inflow of hot wind from West and North West is causing the heat wave. It will sustain for a while," said Dr SC Sahu, Director, MET Centre, Bhubaneswar.

Unofficially 30 people have died of heat stroke, the government confirms only two.
 
People fear a repeat of the 1998 killer summer when in May-June, temperature steadied between 42 and 46 degrees taking 2,000 lives.