Patna, June 18 : The severe heat waves and high humidity in Bihar claimed 22 lives in the last 24 hours, officials said on Monday.

With the Meteorological Department issuing an alert for heat waves for the next 72 hours, people have been urged to exercise caution.

Five patients died due to the heat wave in Sadar Hospital of Arwal district, 4 persons each in Chapra and Patna district, three each in Mohania of Kaimur district and Gaya, two in Arrah, and one in Aurangabad district.

Among the fatalities was a truck driver who fell unconscious near the Didarganj toll plaza on the Patna-Bakhtiyarpur highway. A team from Didarganj police station sent him to NMCH but he succumbed during treatment. The driver was identified as Shyamlal, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh.

The dead body of a man was recovered from Patna Sahib Railway station from the general bogey of the Kosi Express train. Police said that the deceased was identified as Randhir Kumar Singh, 56, a resident of Chhitrauli village of Mahua block in Vaishali district. Police suspected that he might have died due to heat stroke.

Meanwhile, in Kaimur, a former soldier's health deteriorated due to the heat wave and police admitted him to Mohania sub-divisional hospital where he died on Monday during treatment. The deceased retired army jawan was identified as Pramod Tiwari, a resident of Adilapur under Kochas police station of Rohtas district.

Sub Inspector Sanjay Raut of Mohania police station said: "A person's health deteriorated due to heat waves and he died. The family of the deceased does not want to get the post-mortem examination done."

Over 100 people have reportedly succumbed to the heat in the state so far.

Meanwhile, the hottest district of the state on Monday was Buxar, at 46.4 degrees Celsius.

According to the Meteorological Department, there is no hope of relief for the next 72 hours, while the monsoon is expected to arrive in Bihar by June 20 to 21. The temperature is likely to increase in Muzaffarpur, Madhubani, Vaishali, Samastipur, Supaul, Araria, Kishanganj, Purnia, Katihar, Khagaria, Begusarai, Nalanda, Bhojpur, Arwal, and Banka.

/IANS