New Delhi, India – With a scorching heatwave gripping various parts of the country, the death toll from suspected heatstroke has risen to 61 across multiple States as of May 31. Tragically, 23 of the fatalities were among poll personnel engaged in the final phase of the Lok Sabha election, set to conclude on Saturday.
The toll includes 14 individuals who succumbed to heatstroke in Bihar within the last 24 hours, with 10 of them directly involved in the election process. Five of the deaths among the personnel occurred in Bhojpur, with the remaining cases reported from Rohtas, Kaimur, and Aurangabad districts.
In Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh, 13 individuals are suspected to have died from heatstroke. These victims were all admitted to the Maa Vindhyavasini Autonomous State Medical College exhibiting symptoms such as high fever and blood pressure. The casualties comprised seven home guard jawans, three sanitation workers, one clerk from the Chief Medical Officer’s office, one consolidation officer, and one peon in the home guard team.
Additionally, Rajasthan confirmed four deaths attributed to heat-related causes, while Odisha reported 26 deaths. Among the fatalities in Odisha, five were confirmed cases of sunstroke, with the remaining deaths pending official verification. The intense heatwave in Jharsuguda prompted authorities to advise residents to stay indoors between 10am and 4pm to avoid heat-related illnesses.
Further tragic news unfolded in Jharkhand, where four individuals lost their lives to sunstroke on Friday. In response to the sweltering conditions, 1,326 people were hospitalized across the state due to heat-related issues, with efforts in place to allocate air-conditioned rooms and beds for heatstroke patients.
The India Meteorological Department outlined severe heatwave conditions persisting in several regions, including Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and others. Despite this, a slight reprieve was noted in temperatures in certain states. The onset of the southwest monsoon in Kerala and northeastern India offered a glimmer of hope, although full-fledged monsoon rains are anticipated to take some time to reach all parts of the country.