The death toll from India’s heat stroke has risen to about 56 with nearly 25,000 cases across the country from March-May according to reports from local media.
With highs of 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in the capital Delhi and the neighbouring state of Rajasthan, the rising temperature in the region reached a record high in May.
South Asia has experienced a hot summer linked to several factors, which scientists believe are related to human-caused climate change.
The effects of Cyclone Remal have been devastating for several areas of eastern India. Since Tuesday, 14 people have died in the northeastern state of Assam due to heavy rain.
In the northern regions of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and the eastern state of Odisha, at least 33 persons, including election workers on duty in India’s recent general election, passed away on Friday from what is believed to have been heatstroke.
Citing data from the National Centers for Disease Control (NCDC), local news reported that May saw the worst of the scenario, with 19,189 suspected cases of heat stroke and 46 heat-related deaths.
Beyond India, Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC) also reported on Sunday that at least 15 persons have died in the region as a result of landslides and flooding following intense monsoon rains.
Over 5,000 cases of heatstroke were reported in the central state of Madhya Pradesh alone.
The weather service predicts that the heat wave conditions will abate by Wednesday.
