NAGPUR, May 30 -- A relentless heatwave across Nagpur and the Vidarbha region has triggered a major public health concern, with 63 suspected heatstroke and sunstroke-related deaths reported over the past few days as temperatures remained above 45degC for nearly two weeks. According to health department officials, more than 40 suspected heat-related deaths were recorded between May 26 and May 29 in Nagpur and neighbouring districts of Chandrapur, Gondia, Bhandara, Wardha and Gadchiroli, where temperatures touched a blistering 47degC. Deputy director of health services, Nagpur division, Dr Shashikant Shambharkar, said the total number of suspected sunstroke deaths in the division had risen to 63. "We are clinically examining the exact causes of these deaths. Post-mortem examinations are underway," he said. Many of the victims are believed to be homeless persons, unidentified individuals and daily-wage labourers who were found unconscious on roadsides, in public places and inside trains during peak afternoon hours. After 11 suspected heatstroke deaths were reported on Wednesday, five more fatalities were reported on Thursday. The deceased included two residents from Nagpur city and three persons from rural areas. Though overcast skies on Friday raised hopes of relief, soaring humidity levels added to public discomfort. Despite the cloud cover, Nagpur recorded a maximum temperature of 45degC. Health officials warned that prolonged exposure to extreme heat was proving particularly dangerous for vulnerable groups, including the elderly, outdoor workers, homeless persons and passengers travelling in overcrowded trains. In a worrying development, unidentified bodies have begun accumulating in hospital mortuaries as the region battles the severe heatwave. Five bodies were recovered from Nagpur railway station premises and from unreserved and sleeper coaches of trains, while others were found in Lakadganj, Kalamna, Sakkardara and Tajbagh. A 75-year-old man also died at the Nagpur Municipal Corporation's special cold ward, where patients suffering from hyperpyrexia are treated. Officials said the exact causes of death would be established only after pathological analysis and post-mortem reports, though many of the cases are suspected to be linked to heatstroke. Railway authorities said the deaths of three passengers travelling through Nagpur may have been caused by a combination of illness, suffocation and extreme heat conditions inside train coaches. Police said a 65-year-old man was found dead near a flyover in Lakadganj, while another body was recovered from the APMC fruit market in Kalamna. In Sakkardara, an unidentified man was found unconscious near the Nandanvan flyover, while two more bodies were recovered from Tajbagh near a Sufi shrine and a commercial complex. Between May 25 and May 26, three other bodies were recovered from areas near the Government Medical College and Hospital, Hingna and Pachpaoli. Police have initiated inquest proceedings and are working to identify the deceased. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for the next three days in several Vidarbha districts, including Nagpur, Chandrapur, Wardha, Gondia, Amravati and Akola, advising residents to avoid direct exposure to the sun and remain indoors during afternoon hours....