Scorching heatwaves kill dozens in India, thousands suffer heatstroke
At least 33 people, including election officials on duty in India's just-concluded general election, died of suspected heatstroke on Friday.
A confluence of factors has led to a very hot summer in South Asia, a trend scientists say has been worsened by the climate crisis. / Photo: Reuters
Nearly 25,000 people have suffered suspected heatstroke and 56 died after several heatwaves across India between March and May, local media has reported, citing government data.
May has been a particularly bad month for the region, with temperatures in the capital Delhi and the nearby state of Rajasthan touching 50°C.
In contrast, parts of eastern India have been reeling from cyclone Remal. Heavy rain in the northeastern state of Assam has killed 14 people since Tuesday.
Cities in the southern states of Karnataka and Kerala have also been inundated by heavy rains.
India's tech hub of Bengaluru, in Karnataka, on Sunday received 111.1 millimetres of rainfall - the highest the city has seen in June since 1891.
Local media footage showed vehicles and pedestrians wading through flooded streets in Bengaluru, with fallen trees blocking roads and massive traffic jams clogging major intersections.
In the island nation of Sri Lanka, at least 15 people have been killed by flooding and landslides after heavy monsoon rain lashed the region, the country's Disaster Management Centre said on Sunday.
Climate crisis
A confluence of factors has led to a very hot summer in South Asia, a trend scientists say has been worsened by the climate crisis.
At least 33 people, including election officials on duty in India's just-concluded general election, died of suspected heatstroke in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the north, and Odisha in the east on Friday.
Data from the National Centre for Disease Control showed that the situation was worst in May, with 46 heat-related deaths and 19,189 suspected heatstroke cases, the news website The Print reported.
Including suspected cases, the total number of deaths in India could be much higher at 80, the newspaper The Hindu reported.
Over 5,000 cases of heatstroke were reported in the central state of Madhya Pradesh alone.
The weather office has predicted that heat will be less severe till Wednesday and an early arrival of monsoon in the southern state of Kerala last week is expected to bring more relief.
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