Dozens die as northern India swelters under heatwave
At least 34 people have died in the past two days as a large swath of the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh swelters under severe heat, officials said on Saturday, prompting doctors to advise residents over 60 to stay indoors during the daytime.
The dead were all aged over 60 and had pre-existing health conditions that may have been exacerbated by the intense heat.
India Meteorological Department data shows Ballia reported a maximum temperature of 42.2 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit) on Friday, which is 4.7C (8F) above normal.
The scorching summer has caused power outages across the state, leaving people with no running water, fans or air conditioners. Many have staged protests.
The main summer months – April, May and June – are generally hot in most parts of India before monsoon rains bring cooler temperatures. But temperatures have become more intense in the past decade.
During heatwaves, the country usually also suffers severe water shortages, with tens of millions of its 1.4 billion people lacking running water.
A study by World Weather Attribution, an academic group that examines the source of extreme heat, found that a searing heatwave in April that struck parts of South Asia was made at least 30 times more likely by climate change.
At least 34 people have died in the past two days as a large swath of the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh swelters under severe heat, officials said on Saturday, prompting doctors to advise residents over 60 to stay indoors during the daytime.
The dead were all aged over 60 and had pre-existing health conditions that may have been exacerbated by the intense heat.
India Meteorological Department data shows Ballia reported a maximum temperature of 42.2 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit) on Friday, which is 4.7C (8F) above normal.
The scorching summer has caused power outages across the state, leaving people with no running water, fans or air conditioners. Many have staged protests.
The main summer months – April, May and June – are generally hot in most parts of India before monsoon rains bring cooler temperatures. But temperatures have become more intense in the past decade.
During heatwaves, the country usually also suffers severe water shortages, with tens of millions of its 1.4 billion people lacking running water.
A study by World Weather Attribution, an academic group that examines the source of extreme heat, found that a searing heatwave in April that struck parts of South Asia was made at least 30 times more likely by climate change.
