Around 100 die in northern India as heat wave scorches region

At least 54 people died in Uttar Pradesh and 45 died in neighbouring Bihar state

LUCKNOW, India (Reuters, AP) – At least 98 people have died due to severe heat in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Many parts of north India continue to swelter under extreme heatwave conditions.

At least 54 people died in a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh over the last few days, the Times of India newspaper reported on Monday, as authorities probed if the loss of lives was due to the heat wave in the region.

Another 45 people died in neighbouring Bihar state, local newspapers reported.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert warning last week for extreme heat in some regions of the country, including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

The government said it was investigating the cause of the deaths that occurred over three days in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district, about 970 km (600 miles) southeast of New Delhi.

"Deaths have occurred in the district but it is very difficult to say if that happened due to the heat wave," said Ravindra Kumar, the top administrative official of the district, told Reuters, without confirming the number of deaths.

"A few of the deaths are related to old age, while some have different reasons. There is no concrete evidence of heat wave behind these deaths."

The government fired Diwakar Singh, the chief medical official at the main state hospital in Ballia, for saying that the deaths were due to heat.

The state's deputy chief minister, Brajesh Pathak, said on social media that Singh had been removed from his position for making an "irresponsible statement".

Temperatures have soared close to 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in recent days in Ballia with a severe power crisis compounding the situation.

In Bihar, 45 people lost their lives due to heat-related illnesses, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported. Officials in Patna, the capital of Bihar, did not answer phone calls.

While the heat wave was expected to continue in some regions on Monday, parts of India's northeastern Assam state reeled under floods triggered by heavy rains.

"Rainfall intensity in Assam and other northeastern states is likely to rise this week. Many pockets are expected to receive heavy to extremely heavy rainfall this week, which could lead to flooding," said a senior official with the IMD.

At least 54 people, admitted to a district hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia, died between June 15 and 17. At least 400 people were admitted to a district hospital in Ballia in the last three days with complaints of fever, breathlessness and other health complications, an official said.

Most of the patients were aged above 60, an official said. Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Jayant Kumar said the district is reeling under severe heat and people are being admitted to the hospital for treatment.

“All the individuals were suffering from some ailments and their conditions worsened due to the extreme heat,” Ballia’s Chief Medical Officer Jayant Kumar told The Associated Press on Saturday. He said most of the deaths were because of heart attack, brain stroke and diarrhea.

According to the official, 23 deaths were reported on June 15, 20 on June 16 and 11 on June 17 till 4 pm, prompting the government to call a team of doctors from the capital, Lucknow, to probe the cause of deaths.

Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) of the District Hospital Diwakar Singh told reporters that fans, coolers and airconditioners have been arranged in the hospital to prevent the risk of heat stroke for patients and staff. The number of doctors and paramedical staff has also been increased due to the influx of patients, he added.

"With large numbers of patients flooding the hospital, we are now facing a shortage of stretchers," an official told India Today.

As per India Meteorological Data (IMD), the maximum temperature in Ballia was recorded at 42.2 degrees Celsius on Friday, which is 4.7 degrees above normal.

The mercury in at least 11 districts surged past 44 degrees C with a severe heatwave on Saturday. Bihar's capital, Patna, recorded a maximum temperature of 44.7 degrees Celsius. Sheikhpura remained the hottest place at 45.1 degrees Celsius.

Schools have been shut in Patna till June 24 and other districts in the state have also ordered the closure of educational institutions.

The weather office has issued an "extreme heatwave" alert for the state on June 18 and 19. The districts affected by the red alert are Aurangabad, Rohtas, Bhojpur, Buxar, Kaimur, and Arwal. Patna, Begusarai, Khagaria, Nalanda, Banka, Sheikhpura, Jamui, and Lakhisarai have received orange alerts, while East Champaran, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Jehanabad, and East Champaran have received yellow alerts.

The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to extend summer vacations in schools till June 30 in view of the extreme heatwave. While schools for students till Class 5 have been shut, students from Class 6 to 12 have been asked to attend their classes in the morning shift.

HEATWAVE ALERT

The IMD in its latest weather bulletin said severe heatwave conditions are likely to continue in many pockets of Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh during the next 5 days. Odisha, Jharkhand, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, Telangana and eastern Uttar Pradesh are also likely to experience heatwaves.

"Heatwave to severe heat wave conditions are likely to continue over East, east central and east peninsular India during the next 3-4 days and gradual abatement thereafter," the IMD said.