At least 50 deaths blamed on India heat wave in just a week as record temperatures scorch the country

New Delhi — More than 50 deaths have been attributed to India’s scorching early summer heat in the last week alone, as temperatures in the north and east soared to record levels. After arriving early this yearThe summer heat has been relentless, with temperatures often rising above the 50 degrees Celsius, or 122 degrees Fahrenheit, mark in several cities.

The capital New Delhi registered the highest temperature ever of 52.9 degrees Celsius (127.22°F) on Wednesday, although it could be revised downwards as the meteorological department suspects that sensors at the local weather station may be faulty.

At least one person died in the capital on Wednesday, a 40-year-old worker suffered heatstroke. Ten other locations across the country recorded temperatures exceeding 117 degrees on the same day, and at least two of them reached over 122 degrees.

The scorching heat resulted in the deaths of more than 50 people across India, most dying from suspected heatstroke and other heat-related symptoms. At least 29 people died from suspected heatstroke in the eastern states of Bihar and Odisha on Thursday, where temperatures above 113 degrees were recorded.

Ten of the 29 victims were general elections workers in Bihar, according to a report by the India Today news agency. India is nearing the end of its massive seven-phase general elections, virtually all of which were held in scorching heat. The last of the seven phases will see voters cast their votes on Saturday.

In the eastern state of Jharkhand, at least four people died from heat-related symptoms on Thursday as the mercury rose to more than 117 degrees.

In the central Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, at least five people, including two children aged 12 and 14, died from suspected heatstroke, and in the western state of Rajasthan, more than half of which is covered by the Thar, at least eight people, including two newborns, have died from heat-related symptoms, according to Dr. Ravi Prakash Mathur, the state’s public health director.

To make matters worse for the 32 million residents of India’s sweltering capital, the extreme heat has created a water crisis, with more water being consumed and less available in parched rivers. With taps running dry in some areas, authorities were forced to transport tanker trucks to establish public distribution points.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that severe heatwave conditions will continue in the eastern parts of the country for some time and has issued a “red alert” for the northern states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh . urging people to avoid exposure to heat.

Last year, strong heat waves killed more than 100 people in India and neighboring Pakistan only in April and May. The scorching temperatures also destroyed hundreds of thousands of hectares of crops, affecting millions of people in India’s vast agricultural sector.

Scientists have linked deadly heat waves in the Asian subcontinent directly to the rapid pace of global warming. Last year, scientists said climate change was making heat waves 100 times more likely to occur.