There was no respite from the heat across the country today as temperatures stayed above the 40 degree mark at many places in northen, central and eastern India. <br/><br/>The mercury touched 46.5 degree celsius in Bokaro and 45.7 degrees in Jamshedpur as Jharkhand reeled under intense heat. In West Bengal, heat wave conditions continued in Purulia, West Midnapore, Burdwan, Birbhum and Bankura. <br/><br/>Bankura was the hottest at 46.1 degrees. The sun also shone fiercely in central India with Sidhi and Khajuraho being the hottest in Madhya Pradesh at 46 degrees.<br/><br/>In Punjab and Haryana, power shortages added to the woes of residents as daytime temperatures were up to seven degrees above normal. The national capital saw the mercury settle at 41.8 degrees during the day, six degrees above normal. <br/><br/>In Rajasthan, Churu was the hottest at 44 degrees while Jaipur experienced a daytime temperature of 41.5 degrees. The month of April has been unusually hot this year with 54 people succumbing to the heat across the country so far. Most of the deaths have taken place in Orissa.