Heat wave hits hard as dozens killed in India

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) – Dozens of people in India have died in the last few weeks due to a persisting heat wave.

Several Indian cities are reeling under a heat wave, with temperatures above 49 degrees Celcius (120.2F) and many states reporting deaths due to the heat wave.

According to the eastern Odisha state’s emergency center, as of Monday evening, 30 people were confirmed to have died due to the heat wave.

Last week in the northern Uttar Pradesh state, 33 officials on duty for the last phase of the general elections died due to high temperatures.

New Delhi recorded last week an all-time high temperature of 52.9C (127.2F), but weather officials later said the reading was an error. The capital also saw its first heat-related death last week.

In the eastern state of Bihar, officials in Aurangabad city told Anadolu that six people have died recently due to the heat wave.

In the western Rajasthan state, Rakesh Kumar Meena, a disaster management official, told Anadolu on Tuesday that nearly 12 people died due to heat wave conditions.

Local media reported last week that India saw 24,849 suspected heat stroke cases and 56 confirmed fatalities due to heat-related illnesses between March 1 and May 30.

Indian news website The Print citing the National Centre of Disease Control data said May was the deadliest month, with 46 heat-related deaths.

May is considered the hottest month in the country.