Deadly Heat Wave In India Killed More Than 160 People

The heatwave continuously being experienced in India for weeks now has resulted in more than 160 deaths in both the eastern and southern regions. The temperature rises to more than 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

The months of May and June are considered to be the hottest summer months in India, according to Reuters. The authorities have taken emergency steps to help minimize the effects of the extreme heat. Classes and outdoor work such as construction were forced to close.

It is reported that 66 people died from heat exposure in the southern Indian state of Telangana and 45 in Andhra Pradesh, according to  Weather. On the other hand, 55 people died in neighboring Odisha, but reports said that the deaths were still under investigation.

Y.K. Reddy, a director at the Indian Meteorological Department, said that the death toll might rise in Telangana. They advised people to stay indoors. It is recorded that Telangana has the highest April temperature since 2006.

In the western state of Maharashtra, a 12-year-old girl died last Sunday due to the heat. Also, a 55-year-old man died of heat stroke while attending an election meeting for chief minister Tamil Nadu. Another woman named Yoga Desai collapsed on her fifth journey while taking 5 trips from her home to the nearest water pump.

Small-scale businesses were also affected, and they were forced to close. The schools in Telangana were also shut last week. Officials in Odisha have ordered schools to remain closed until April 26. They also banned the construction work.

In Maharashtra, the officials sent tankers of water to refresh farming communities. Furthermore, they barred people from drilling deep wells.

According to India Today, thousands of distraught farmers were committing suicide and tens of thousands of farm animals died. The crops perished and the ponds, rivers and lakes were drying up. Last year, the heat wave in India killed about 2,300 people in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states, according to Time.