Over 500 people are reported to have died in the past week in a severe heatwave in India. The majority of deaths have taken place in the south-eastern states, including Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Temperatures have spiked upto 48 degree Celsius in Andhra Pradesh, while it touched 44 degree Celsius in New Delhi.
According to experts, the temperature is not the only factor, some of the areas in India are very humid and this seems to worsen the situation. Most of the victims are old people, and workers exposed to the blistering sun. Telangana Principal Secretary (Revenue) B R Meena said, “Almost all the victims are old. Inquiries reveal that most of them were working and were exposed to the heat. Dehydration and heat stroke caused the deaths.”
State authorities have advised people to stay indoors and consume a lot of fluids.
Heatwaves may not be uncommon in India but the intensity of the currently sustained heatwave has worried the nation. Studies, however, suggest that such heatwaves are only going to get more intense and frequent.