New Delhi, June 18 It's like living in a furnace. The scorching heat has claimed over 100 lives in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in just three days, leaving thousands more suffering from heat-related ailments. The weather department has sounded a red alert for many parts of north India, saying the heatwave is very severe and dangerous.
Most of the people who died were old or sick, and couldn't cope with the soaring temperatures. They succumbed to heat stroke, dehydration and other complications. Hospitals in both states are overflowing with patients who are gasping for breath, running high fever and feeling dizzy.
In Uttar Pradesh, a district hospital in Ballia saw 56 deaths between June 15 and 17 as the mercury touched 42 degrees Celsius. About 400 people landed up at the hospital in the same period, an official said. Most of them were above 60 years of age, he said⁴.
The district's chief doctor, Jayant Kumar, said the heat was unbearable and people were falling ill left and right. “All the individuals were suffering from some ailments and their conditions worsened due to the extreme heat,” he said⁴. He said most of the deaths were due to heart attack, brain stroke and diarrhea.
Bihar was no better, as 44 people died in a day due to the blistering heat. At least 18 places in the state recorded severe heatwave conditions, while four others faced heatwave. Out of the 44 deaths, 35 were from Patna alone, where 19 patients died at one hospital and 16 at another¹.
The state government has announced Rs 4 lakh each for the families of the dead. It has also shut down all schools till June 22 and told people to stay indoors during peak hours¹.
But there is no respite in sight, as the weather department has predicted that the heatwave will continue for two more days in most parts of north India, with some areas crossing 45 degrees Celsius. It has advised people to take precautions like drinking enough water, wearing light clothes and using umbrellas or hats if going out².
The heatwave has also hit other parts of the country, such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Telangana. A study by scientists has found that climate change is to blame for making the heatwave at least 30 times more likely in India and Bangladesh, and raising temperatures by at least 2 °C (3.6 °F) in many parts of Asia in April⁵.
The study has also warned that such extreme heat events will become more common and worse in the future because of global warming. It has urged governments and people to act fast to cut down greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the changing climate.
By Tamsil Shahezad Khan (BBC India Network)