As temperatures continue to increase in northern and central India in the past day, several individuals have lost their lives due to heat-related illnesses.
Authorities stated that on Thursday, ten deaths were reported at the state hospital in the Rourkela area of Odisha. Deaths caused by increased heat have also been recorded in Delhi, the capital city of India, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Bihar.
The scorching heat coincides with India’s ongoing general election, with results scheduled to be released on 4 June.
Mr. Kumar reported that election day was among the hottest days, and despite medical facilities being present at all centers, they failed. He stated that one home guard, a volunteer policeman, lost consciousness at his location.
He added that the individual passed away in the hospital while receiving treatment. He also indicated that around 30 to 40 individuals had been admitted to the hospital on Thursday suffering from conditions related to excessive heat.
Due to the ongoing increased heat, the number of hospital admissions in medical facilities is also increasing. A laborer who was admitted to a hospital in Delhi with heatstroke passed away on Thursday while undergoing treatment.
A staff pouring water on a patient
Heat strokes are termed “life-threatening” by India’s National Centre for Disease Control, with a mortality rate of 40 to 64%. Over the last two weeks, northern, central, and portions of western India have experienced persistent heat, with maximum temperatures floating at 45-46 C for days and peaking at 50 C in some areas.
Due to the increased consumption of electricity and water in many areas, severe shortages of the two basic needs have also been experienced.
The rising temperatures have led to an increase in fires across India, provoking officials to use drones to monitor forest fires in Kashmir and Jammu. Over the last week, the city of Delhi and its nearby areas witnessed temperatures reaching nearly 50C, breaking previous records.
A photo of a vehicle covered with a cloth
On social media, videos of people in Delhi struggling to access water from tankers have been shared widely. Furthermore, many parts of the capital are undergoing frequent electricity disruptions.
There is an ongoing investigation to determine if the temperature reading of 52.9C in the Mungeshpur area on Wednesday resulted from a sensor malfunction at the nearby weather station.
A study published in the medical journal, The Lancet, revealed that India experienced a 55% increase in fatalities caused by severe heat between 2000-2004 and 2017-2021. In 2021, exposure to heat caused a reduction of 167.2 billion possible labor hours for Indians, as stated in the study.
Even though many parts of the country have been experiencing heat waves in summer as usual, experts have pointed out that these are now lasting for longer periods, intensifying, and occurring more frequently.
