Large swathes of southern, eastern and central India are facing an unprecedented and premature heat wave leading to, perhaps, the hottest April on record that has already killed around 150 people. The majority of the deaths have been in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, but soaring temperatures have compounded ongoing drought and water shortages across the country and threaten to impact as many as 330 million people, according to figures the Indian government reported to the Supreme Court.
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He said there were fears that the death toll could rise and his department was issuing heatwave warnings to advise people to stay indoors.
The heat wave has hit Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh the hardest along with parts of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.
All schools in Odisha are closed until next week because of the heat, and 43 people are believed to have died from heat exposure, although an official said each of the deaths was being investigated.
Tens of thousands of animals have died, crops have perished and lakes and rivers have dried up.
In Maharashtra, the officials sent tankers of water to refresh farming communities.
The heatwave in India coincides with record-high temperatures across the globe.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration notes that India’s high temperatures are reflective of the worldwide rising temperatures, with March’s average global recording of 12.7C continues on a record eleven-month streak that started last May of hottest months in recorded history.
But while heatwaves are relatively common during Indian summers, authorities have done little to ensure water security or prepare urban populations for the risks.
A premonsoon heat wave in 2015 killed around 2,500 people before relief arrived in June.
After a brief lull, maximum temperatures inched to heat-wave levels across the State on Friday.
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In general, May and June are the hottest months in the country.
