In the past two days, more than sixty individuals, including polling personnel, have succumbed to heatstroke in India as temperatures soared above 50 degrees Celsius. The state of Odisha in eastern India witnessed the highest number of casualties, with 36 suspected heatstroke deaths, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 20, Bihar with 14, and Jharkhand with four.
In Uttar Pradesh, 15 polling personnel, 13 in Mirzapur district and two in Sonbhadra district, passed away due to high fever and high blood pressure. The final phase of polling in India witnessed hundreds of hospitalizations amid scorching heatwave conditions.
Read more: Delhi Experiences Record-High Temperatures, Reaching 49.9°C
Over the past day, several individuals have lost their lives to heat-related ailments as temperatures rise across northern and central India. Ten fatalities were recorded at a government hospital in Odisha’s Rourkela region on Thursday. Heatstroke-related deaths have also been reported in Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Delhi.
The heatwave has exacerbated water and electricity shortages in many areas, with temperatures reaching 45-46°C and even hitting 50°C in some regions. This situation has heightened the risk of fires, prompting authorities to utilize drones to monitor forest fires in Jammu and Kashmir.
In Delhi, videos depicting residents scrambling for water from tankers have circulated widely online. The capital city has witnessed record-breaking temperatures, nearing the 50°C mark.
