An estimated 96 people died over the last several days in two of India’s most populous states due to a heat wave, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
The two states affected are Uttar Pradesh in the north and neighboring Bihar in the east, the report said. Most of the fatalities are reportedly senior citizens ages 60 and above and those with pre-existing health conditions now aggravated by the sweltering heat, according to the report.
In Uttar Pradesh, up to 54 people died, with 42 fatalities in Bihar, according to the report. “No relief is expected in the next 24 hours,” said Atul Kumar Singh, a scientist from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), according to the report. (RELATED: Super High Temperature Expected Throughout US As Hazards Ramp Up For Summer)
Warning of the day. #India #IMD #heatwave #WeatherUpdate@moesgoi @DDNewslive @airnewsalerts @ndmaindia pic.twitter.com/FKWHSLXJVo
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) June 18, 2023
The IMD warned Sunday in a tweet that a “heat wave to severe heat wave” was “likely to continue” for a day or two more, not only in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar but also in states such as Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkand, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Gangetic West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.
The department also identified the elderly, infants, manual laborers and the chronically ill as particularly vulnerable. It advised regular rehydration and wearing head coverings and loose, light-colored and lightweight clothing.
Nighttime temperatures Sunday were recorded as high as 87 degrees Fahrenheit (30.5 degrees Celsius) in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29.4 degrees Celsius) in Patna, the capital of Bihar, according to The Weather Channel. Both cities are forecast to record maximum temperatures Monday of 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius) and 106 degrees Fahrenheit (41.1 degrees Celsius), respectively, according to the channel at the time of publication.
Southwest monsoon rains, expected to bring relief from the oppressive heat, were slightly delayed this year until the first week of June, a separate AP News report said.