India Swelters as Deadly Heatwave Claims 45 Lives in Just Over a Day

The summer season this time has been punishing in India, with heat strokes killing 45 people in just 36 hours. The death toll has now reached 87.

Western Odisha witnessed the deaths of 19 people, while Uttar Pradesh recorded 16 deaths in just one day. Five people in Bihar, four in Rajasthan, and one in Punjab succumbed to the deadly heat.

The Special Relief Commissioner of Odisha, Satyabrata Sahu, is investigating all the deaths that occurred in the state to determine the cause of the fatalities.

The 16 deaths in UP included 11 polling personnel, with 5 being home guards. Two polling staff members died in Sonbhadra and one in Rae Bareli.

The principal of Mirzapur Medical College, RB Kamal, stated that the polling personnel belonged to the 50+ age group, and the heatstroke most likely exacerbated their pre-existing medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.

Out of the confirmed dead in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, the families of the home guards will receive an ex-gratia payment of Rs 15 lakhs from the Electoral Commission and Rs 5 lakhs each from the Chief Minister's relief fund, as confirmed by Mirzapur SP Abhinandhan.

Friday witnessed the loss of five lives in Bihar, bringing the death toll to 14 (including 10 polling personnel). The state of Rajasthan witnessed a total of nine deaths this summer due to heatstroke.

The capital, Delhi, reached India's highest-ever temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius.