Dozens of dead in prolonged heat wave in India as rains delayed

One of the longest and most extreme heat waves in India for years has left at least 36 people dead since its inception in May. Mercury has exceeded 50 degrees Celsius in some areas and heatwave conditions will continue, with the delayed arrival of the monsoon.

Earlier this week, four people died of heat stroke, unable to withstand the heat in a crowded train without air conditioning. They were returning from the holy city of Varanasi but medical relief was slow in arriving when they fainted from exhaustion.

The authorities pointed out that the prolonged heat wave was part of the rising temperature trend in India. The number of Indian states hit by extreme heat has risen to 19 in 2018, more than double from 2015, and is expected to reach 23 this year.

Delayed rains
"This wave has been extended and unprecedented. There are normally pre-monsoon showers but the weather office warned that the heat wave could continue while the arrival of the monsoon rains was delayed, "RFI spokesman Anshu Priya told reporters. of the National Disaster Management Authority.

Extreme temperatures have hit vast areas of northern and central India, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, among the most affected states. Several cities have been hard hit affected by the prolonged heat wave, because of the density of their population. more pronounced.

The poor and the homeless, who work or sleep outside, have been hardest hit. Building workers have had no respite from the sun. The number of days of incessant heat has also increased and it's not just the days, but also the nighttime temperatures that sent the mercury through the roof.

"While cities have a winter plan for the homeless that includes the installation of temporary tents, there is no similar effort this summer to mitigate the deadly impact of heat waves" RFI Shivani Chaudhry, executive director of Housing and Land Rights Network Housing Advocacy Group, told RFI. .

Water scarcity adds to the misfortunes of those trapped. Last week, the police were instructed to monitor tanks and water sources in the state of Madhya Pradesh, in the center of the country, as a result of clashes over the 39; water.

The water crisis is one of the biggest challenges of the capital, Delhi, which has been struggling with the problem during the summer. Experts say the city has enough water, but faulty distribution systems have resulted in shortages and nearly 45% are lost in leaks.

In many areas, particularly in the rural hinterland of the country, the land is arid and the sinks are dry. In parts of northern India, farmers have suffered the most, with land and land being barren due to the depletion of groundwater supplies.

Many cities affected by the heat wave have turned into "urban heat islands", due to lack of tree cover causing temperatures to rise on paved surfaces. According to climate change experts, urban heat islands can give a temperature of 3 to 4 degrees higher than the ambient temperature.