News
June 18, 2023 | 1:14 p.m
At least 96 people have died in two of India’s most populous states in recent days, officials said Sunday, while much of the country suffered from a sweltering heatwave.
The deaths occurred in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh and eastern Bihar, where authorities had warned residents over the age of 60 and others with various illnesses to stay home during the day.
All of the fatalities in Uttar Pradesh, 54 in total, were reported in Ballia district, some 300 kilometers (200 miles) southeast of Lucknow, the state capital. Authorities noted that most of those who died were in their 60s and had underlying health conditions that may have been made worse by the intense heat.
SK Yadav, a medical official in Ballia, said about 300 patients had been admitted to the district hospital in the past three days for various ailments aggravated by heat.
Due to the severity of the situation, authorities canceled requests for leave from Ballia medical staff and made additional hospital beds available in the emergency department to cope with the influx of patients.
At least 96 people died in two of India’s most populous states during a severe heatwave, AP
Officials said most of the patients admitted were 60 years and older and presented with symptoms including high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing and heart problems.
RS Pathak, a Ballia resident who lost his father on Saturday, said he witnessed an increased flow of patients into the hospital’s emergency room while caring for his father.
“It’s never happened in Ballia before. “I’ve never seen people die from the heat in such large numbers,” he said. “People are scared to go. The streets and markets are largely deserted.”
Most of those who died were in their 60s and had underlying medical conditions.AP
Ballia and Central and East Uttar Pradesh are currently struggling with sweltering heat.
On Sunday, the district had a high of 43 degrees Celsius (109 degrees Fahrenheit), five degrees above normal.
The relative humidity was measured at 25%, increasing the effect of the heat.
A cow seeks shelter in the shade outside a shop along with people in Lalitpur district in northern Uttar Pradesh state on Sunday, AP
Atul Kumar Singh, a scientist with the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said temperatures are currently above normal across the state. He added: “No relief is expected for the next 24 hours.”
The IMD issued a warning that the heatwave would last until June 19 in parts of Uttar Pradesh.
State Health Minister Brijesh Pathak said an inquiry had been launched into the cause of death of “so many people” in Ballia.
Authorities warned residents over 60 and others with various illnesses to stay indoors during the day, AP
In eastern Bihar, searing heat has engulfed most of the state, resulting in 42 deaths in the past two days.
35 of the fatalities occurred at two hospitals in the state capital, Patna, where over 200 patients were being treated for diarrhea and vomiting.
Patna recorded a maximum temperature of 44.7 °C (113 °F) on Saturday.
A man splashes water on his face to cool off in Lalitpur district in northern Uttar Pradesh state on Sunday, AP
The peak summer months of April, May and June are generally the hottest in most parts of India before monsoon rains bring cooler temperatures.
But temperatures have intensified over the past decade.
The country typically suffers severe water shortages during heat waves, as tens of millions of its 1.4 billion people lack running water.
During heat waves, India typically experiences severe water shortages.AP
A study by World Weather Attribution, an academic group that studies the source of extreme heat, found that a searing April heatwave that ravaged parts of South Asia was made at least 30 times more likely by climate change.
In April, heat killed 13 people at a government event in India’s financial capital, Mumbai, and some states had to close all schools for a week.
https://nypost.com/2023/06/18/indias-intense-heat-wave-claims-nearly-100-dead-in-two-most-populous-states/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site %20buttons
Copy the URL to share