Heatstroke Kills 33 Polling Agents As Temperature Soars in India

A top election official on Sunday said at least 33 Indian polling staff died on the last day of voting from heatstroke after scorching temperatures hit the country.

While there have been reports of multiple deaths from the intense heatwave – with temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in many places – the dozens of staff dying in one day marks an especially grim toll.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said temperatures at Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh reached 46.9 degrees Celsius (116 Fahrenheit).  

Navdeep Rinwa, chief electoral officer for the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, where voting in the seventh and final stage of elections ended Saturday, said 33 polling personnel died due to the heat.

The figure included security guards and sanitation staff.

"A monetary compensation of 1.5 million rupees ($18,000) will be provided to the families of the deceased," Rinwa told reporters.

According to a medical explanation of heat wave, when a person is dehydrated, extreme heat exposure thickens their blood and causes organs to shut down.

India is no stranger to searing summer temperatures.