Indian Media: country-wide heatwave kills over 1,100

World Today

Indian labourers sits in the shade as they rests at a market in the old quarters of New Delhi on May 26, 2015.  (AFP PHOTO / Chandan KHANNA)

Reports from various media outlets in India describe a heatwave that is appearing to be the worst the country has seen since 2010. The government is issuing country-wide alerts and urging people to stay indoors and drink as much water as possible.

According to Reuters, the hottest place in India has been Allahabad, a city in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, which saw mercury rise to 47.7 degrees Celsius (some 117.8 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday, while the capital Delhi recorded a high of 43.5C (110.3F).

Indian newspaper, the Hindustan Times reports that most of the deaths throughout the country are the vulnerable elderly or those who have to spend a considerable amount of time outdoors, like construction workers.

Reuters pointed out that the Indian Meteorological Department has had to issue a ‘red warning’ to affected regions saying that the heat wave conditions are likely to continue over coming days.

Director of Andhra Pradesh’s Disaster Management Department, K. Dhananjaya Reddy, says 325 people died of sunstroke or dehydration in the state in the last three days.

The government has reportedly told all doctors that they can’t go on holiday as hospitals were being flooded with cases of heat-stroke and the government is said to be prepared to give 100,000 rupees ($1,575 US) to the families of those who’ve perished because of the heatwave.

Sources include Hindustan Times, Reuters, Indian government reports


Record high temps in India have nation on alert
The heatwave in India had killed vulnerable parts of the population with the South India states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana most affected. CCTV’s Shweta Bajaj filed this report.


Tyson Slocum on the Indian heat wave
For more on this deadly heat wave, CCTV spoke to Tyson Slocum. He is the director of the Energy Program at Public Citizen, an advocacy group in Washington.