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Heatwaves in India from March to May resulted in nearly 25,000 suspected heat stroke cases and 56 deaths, Reuters reported, citing local media and government data.
The month of May was particularly harsh, with temperatures reaching 50 °C (122 °F) in Delhi and Rajasthan.
Meanwhile, parts of eastern India are grappling with Cyclone Remal and heavy rains in Assam have killed 14 people since Tuesday.
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Heatstroke deaths during elections
At least 33 people, including election officials, died of suspected heatstroke in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha during India’s general election on Friday.
Data from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) showed that May was the worst month, with 46 heat-related deaths and 19,189 suspected heat stroke cases, as reported by The Print.
According to The Hindu, the total number of deaths in India, including suspected cases, could be as high as 80. More than 5,000 cases of heat stroke have been reported in Madhya Pradesh alone.
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Notably, the weather department has predicted less severe heat conditions by Wednesday, which is expected to bring some relief. Further relief is expected with the early arrival of monsoon in Kerala last week.
20 deaths due to heat wave in Odisha alone
According to an official statement, 20 people have died due to severe heat in Odisha in the last three days.
Since Friday, authorities have reported 99 suspected deaths from sunstroke in various districts. Post-mortem examinations and investigations have found 20 of these deaths to be due to sunstroke, while two were due to other causes. The rest of the cases are still under investigation, PTI reported.
Earlier, 42 cases of suspected sunstroke deaths were reported. Of these, six died due to sunstroke, while six died due to other causes.
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Most of the deaths occurred in Bolangir, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Sonepur, Sundergarh and Balasore districts.
Response of Odisha officials
According to a PTI report, Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena and Special Relief Commissioner Satyabrata Sahu reviewed the situation with district collectors on Sunday. They directed the district administrations to follow the heatwave advisory and take precautionary measures.
Districts were directed to ensure post-mortem investigation for every suspected sunstroke death to facilitate sanction of ex-gratia. Authorities also mandated a joint investigation by the local revenue officer and the local medical officer to determine the exact cause of each death.
Climate change effects
At least 15 people were killed in floods and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains in Sri Lanka, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said on Sunday.
A combination of factors is resulting in intense warming in South Asia, and this trend is being exacerbated by human-caused climate change.
(With inputs from Reuters and PTI)
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Published: June 03, 2024, 02:06 PM IST
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