Heatwave in Maharashtra: 16-Year-Old Girl from Palghar Succumbs to Heatstroke

Palghar/Manor: The mercury has crossed the 40-mark in Palghar due to scorching heat and rising temperatures across the state. Ashwini Vinod Raote, a 16-year-old student from Vikramgad taluka of Palghar, has been the victim of the unprecedented temperature. Ashwini Raote, a resident of Kev (Vedgepada), was studying in class XI at S.P. Marathi School and Junior College Manor. Ashwini came home on Monday after giving her class XI exam paper. With no parents at home, she went to the farm. 

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However, she was on her way back home as her parents could not be seen even on the farm. Then she is said to have fainted on the field itself. Ashwini's mother, who had gone to wash clothes on the river, came home and saw Ashwini's bag. However, as Ashwini was not seen, the mother went out in search of her. When Ashwini was found lying unconscious in the field, she immediately called people for help.
 
Ashwini was brought to a private hospital in Manor where doctors declared her dead. Relatives said doctors diagnosed her death due to heat stroke due to rising temperatures. There were no injuries or snake bite scars anywhere on Ashwini's body. One of her relatives told Lokmat that she died after she lay unconscious in the scorching sun for two hours. 

Declare schools closed
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has demanded that schools should declare a summer vacation given the rising temperature. He also said the government should intervene. He asked why the Met department did not report the possibility of a heatwave earlier. In the last few days, the average day temperature in Mumbai, Thane district, Palghar district, and Konkan region has gone up to around 40 degrees. MNS' Chetan Pednekar said a report has been sought from the Education Department and the Education Commissioner will soon announce a decision in this regard.

Thane 'hotter' than Mumbai
Mumbai recorded a maximum temperature of 39.7 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, while Thane recorded 42 degrees Celsius. This is the highest maximum temperature in Mumbai so far this season. The Met department has warned that heat wave conditions will continue on Wednesday.