Bhubaneswar, May 27 (IANS) Orissa Thursday alerted all its district collectors to remain prepared to meet any eventuality as temperatures rose to 45 degrees Celsius in some places in the state.

‘We have alerted all the district collectors to ensure supply of drinking water and electricity. All the hospitals have been directed to keep adequate stocks of medicines,’ Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suryanarayan Patro told IANS.

‘We have written to the collectors of all the 30 districts after some places recorded 45 degrees Celsius or more in the last two days,’ he said, adding that 34 people have died due to the heat wave in the state since March.

Bolangir and Bhabanipatna towns in western Orissa recorded 45 degrees Celsius Thursday, the Bhubaneswar meteorological centre said.

The heat wave condition would prevail over some parts of the state during the next 48 hours, it said.

A heat wave in Orissa in May 1998 killed over 2,000 people.