Would you like to receive notifications on latest updates of the following headlines?

Soaring Heat Wave Kills 15 in India Despite Ongoing Election

POSTED ON May 31, 2024 •   Breaking News      BY Benedicta Bassey
India citizens affected by heatwaves in the hospital/Photo credit: Bloomberg

Soaring Heatwave fatalities have risen across Northern and Central India with  record-breaking temperatures and severe water shortages.

Several people have reportedly died due to heat-related ailments over the past 24 hours as temperatures continued to soar in northern and central India.

Ten fatalities were recorded at the government hospital in Odisha’s Rourkela region on Friday, authorities told Reuters news agency.

Heat-stroke related deaths were also reported from the states of Bihar, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and the national capital, Delhi.

The searing heat came as India held its general election, the results of which will be declared on 4 June.

Mahendra Kumar, district magistrate of Bhojpur district in Bihar, told the Times of India newspaper that three election officers and a policeman died in the city on Thursday due to heat stroke.

“It was the hottest day, and despite having medical facilities at all centres, they collapsed. One home guard [volunteer policeman] became unconscious where he was staying,” Mr Kumar said, adding that the man died in the hospital while being treated by doctors.

He also said that around 30-40 people were admitted to the same hospital on Thursday due to heat-related ailments.

Hospitals in the region recorded a rise in admissions due to heat-related ailments.

A labourer admitted with a heat stroke died while receiving treatment at a hospital in Delhi.

India’s National Centre for Disease Control called heat strokes a “life-threatening” condition with a mortality rate of 40 to 64%.

The heat in northern, central, and parts of western India had been unrelenting for the past two weeks, with maximum temperatures hovering around 45-46°C for days at a stretch and even climbing up to 50°C in some areas.

Several regions experienced severe water and electricity shortages due to a rise in consumption. The soaring temperatures led to a surge in fires across India, and authorities employed drones to monitor forest fires in Jammu and Kashmir.

Exposure to heat also caused a loss of 167.2 billion potential labour hours among Indians in 2021, the study noted.

AFP

READ ALSO
IPMAN Links Rising Petrol Prices to Crude Oil Costs and Market Dynamics
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 24, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria (NAN) - The Public Relations Officer of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Associati...

READ ALSO
Tinubu Launches National Mechanised Farming Programme to Tackle Food Insecurity
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 23, 2025 0

In a bid to combat food insecurity and encourage youth participation in farming, President Bola Tinu...

READ ALSO
Oil Prices Surge Amid U.S. Airstrikes on Iran's Nuclear Sites
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 23, 2025 0

Oil prices rose on Monday while the dollar gained strength following the U.S. airstrikes on Iran's n...

READ ALSO
FG Coordinates Evacuation Plans for Citizens in Iran-  Minister
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 22, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria - The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has refuted false narrati...

READ ALSO
Governors, FG Unite to Tackle Food Security Challenges
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 20, 2025 0

The 36 state governors have come together to collaborate with the Federal Government on harmonizing...

READ ALSO
Tinubu to Launch Multiple Development Projects Today in Kaduna
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 19, 2025 0

KADUNA, Nigeria - President Bola Tinubu is anticipated to arrive in Kaduna State today for the inaug...

READ ALSO
ECOWAS Calls for Unified Action Against Plastic Pollution at World Environment Day
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 18, 2025 0

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is calling for a unified regional effort from...

READ ALSO
Trump Proposes Visa Ban on Nigeria Amid Corruption Concerns
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 15, 2025 0

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has initiated plans to impose a general visa ban o...

OUR CHANNELS:

Kebbi Vows to Tackle Informants Aiding Bandits
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 27, 2025 0

KEBBI, Nigeria - Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Nasir Idris, has pledged to take action against informant...


PDP seeks Tinubu’s intervention in Osun Crisis
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 26, 2025 0

The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has urged President Bola Tinubu to step in re...


24 Lawmakers Leave PDP for APC Amid Unresolved Internal Conflicts
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 26, 2025 0

AKWA IBOM, Nigeria - Twenty-four out of the 26 members of the House of Assembly in Akwa Ibom State h...


Nigeria's 2024 Budget Capital Extension Draws Criticism from Economists
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 26, 2025 0

The Senate and House of Representatives have once again prolonged the implementation of the capital...


Chelsea Advances to Last 16 of Club World Cup with 3-0 Win Over Esperance
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 26, 2025 0

Liam Delap netted his first goal for Chelsea during a 3-0 victory over Tunisian champions Esperance...


IPOB Rejects Tinubu's Cattle Ranch Proposal as a Disguise for Land Grabbing
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 26, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria - The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has expressed its disapproval of President B...


Police Unveils New Strategies to Combat Gunmen and Restore Public Confidence
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 26, 2025 0

ANAMBRA, Nigeria - In its continued efforts to boost security and regain public trust, the Anambra S...


Nigeria's Gemstone Potential: A Deep Dive into 10 Rare Minerals and Their Regions of Origin
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 26, 2025 0

Nigeria is making waves with a revolutionary $400 million Foreign Direct Investment dedicated to cre...


IPMAN Links Rising Petrol Prices to Crude Oil Costs and Market Dynamics
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 26, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria (NAN) - The Public Relations Officer of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Associati...


EFCC Charges Businessman, Company with $75,000 Fraud
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 26, 2025 0

A businessman, Peter Otomewu, along with his company, Pebeto Enerji Limited, was brought before the...


More Articles

Load more...

Menu