A deadly heat wave is hitting northeast India, causing 103 deaths in the past two days, The Times of India reported on Monday.
According to the report, 54 of the deaths occurred in the state of Uttar Pradesh and another 49 in the state of Bihar, which is located on the eastern border of the subcontinent. According to the report, most of the fatalities were civilians aged 60 and over who suffered from previous comorbidities or were weak for one reason or another.
India: Citizens struggle for drinking water during the country's heat wave // Photo: Reuters
Uttar Pradesh recorded a record high of nearly 46 degrees Celsius yesterday, with hundreds of people hospitalized as a result of severe dehydration and heat stroke. Authorities have asked the elderly and at-risk people not to leave their homes and refrain from physical activity until the heat conditions ease.
In addition, the authorities dismissed Dr. Divakar Singh, the head of medical services for one of the Uttar Pradesh districts, after he was accused of sowing panic. Dr. Singh called for a state of emergency due to the extreme heat conditions and, according to the authorities, "created panic by making unsubstantiated generalizations about the situation."
April, May and June are the hottest months in northern India, before the monsoon season, which usually arrives towards midsummer, brings cooler air and rainfall to this part of the subcontinent. However, climate experts warn that the high temperatures we have seen in recent years indicate warming climate in India and the possibility of other extreme weather phenomena.
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