NEW DELHI – Over six dozens people including polling personnel died from heatstroke in Indian during the last two days amid a heatwave as temperature crossed 50 degrees Celcius.
The eastern Indian state of Odisha saw highest number of casualties with 36 suspected heatstroke deaths. Uttar Pradesh followed with 20, Bihar with 14, and Jharkhand with four.
In Uttar Pradesh, 15 polling personnel (13 in Mirzapur district and two in Sonbhadra district) died from high fever and high blood pressure. Hundreds of people were hospitalised amid heatwave conditions during the last phase of polling in India.
Several people have died from heat-related ailments in the past 24 hours as temperatures soar in northern and central India. Ten fatalities were recorded at a government hospital in Odisha’s Rourkela region on Thursday. Heat-stroke-related deaths have also been reported in Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Delhi.
The heatwave has led to severe water and electricity shortages in several regions, with temperatures reaching 45-46°C and even 50°C in some areas. The situation has also increased the risk of fires, with authorities using drones to monitor forest fires in Jammu and Kashmir.
In Delhi, videos of residents battling for water from tankers have been widely shared online. The metropolis experienced record-breaking temperatures nearing 50°C.
