Major cities Patna, Gaya and Bhagalpur have been witnessing heatwave for the past couple of days. (FILE)

At least 83 people have died in the last four days in three districts of Bihar as a blistering heatwave swept several places in the state, officials said on Tuesday.

An official of the Disaster Management Department Control Room in Patna said 35 people died in Gaya, 34 in Aurangabad and 14 in Nawada due to heatwave in these three districts since Saturday.

Major cities in Bihar - Patna, Gaya and Bhagalpur - have been witnessing heatwave for the past couple of days.

Patna recorded a maximum temperature of 41 degrees Celsius Tuesday. Gaya and Aurangabad town also recorded a maximum of 41 degrees Celsius, while in Bhagalpur, the temperature settled at 39 degrees Celsius, the Met department said.

A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is recorded at 4.5 degrees or more above the normal for two consecutive days, a Met official said.

Due to continuing heatwave, the state government on Monday ordered suspension of academic activities in all schools, colleges and educational institutes across the state till June 22 apart from ordering closure of markets between 11 am to 5 pm in three south Bihar districts of Gaya, Aurangabad and Nawada.

All the construction activities, including work under MNREGA scheme, will not be carried out from 10 in the morning till the evening, an official said, adding that work can be done prior to 10 am and in the evening and thereafter.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has already announced ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the next of family of those killed due to heatwave.