Heatwave: At Least 96 Die In Uttar Pradesh And Bihar From Extreme Heat

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that heatwave and severe heatwave conditions are likely to last for at least next three days in many parts of the country.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 18 June 2023 3:15 pm

Relatives attend to a patient lying on a stretcher in the premises of a hospital in Ballia district, in northern Uttar Pradesh. Swaths of two of Indias most populous states are under a grip of sever heat leaving dozens of people dead in several days as authorities issue a warning to residents over 60 and others with ailments to stay indoors during the daytime.

At least 96 people have died in the ongoing heatwave in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

At least 54 people died in Uttar Pradesh and at least 42 died in Bihar, according to Associated Press (AP).

In Uttar Pradesh, all the deaths have been reported from Ballia district. Of the 54, 23 patients died on June 15, 20 the next day, and 11 yesterday, reported NDTV.

In Bihar, 35 of 42 deaths took place in state capital Patna.

Around 200 patients are hospitalised in Patna and around 300 are hospitalised in Ballia.

"Officials said most of the admitted patients are aged 60 and above, exhibiting symptoms of high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, breathing difficulties and heart-related issues," reported AP about the deaths in Ballia.

In Patna, around 200 patients admitted to the hospital suffered form diarrhea and vomiting, as per AP.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that several parts of the country, including UP and Bihar, are experiencing heatwaves and the conditions are likely to last for at least three more days.

Separately, a report said that Bihar is currently experiencing the longest heatwave in 10 years.

Heatwave to last for 3 days: IMD

Heatwave and severe heatwave conditions are likely to continue in several parts of the country for at least next three days, according to the IMD.

The IMD on Sunday said that heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to prevail in the following regions for the next three days:

1. Vidarbha
2. Chhattisgarh
3. Jharkhand
4. Odisha
5.Telangana

The IMD said the heatwave conditions would see gradual abatement after two days in the following areas:

1. Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam
2. Bihar
3. Gangetic West Bengal
4. East Madhya Pradesh
5. East Uttar Pradesh

The IMD further said that the temperature is likely to fall by 2-4*C in some areas in the next five days.

"No significant change in maximum temperatures very likely over East and south India during next two days and fall by 2-4*C thereafter. Fall by 2-4*C in maximum temperatures very likely over Madhya Pradesh during next five days," said the IMD in its press release on Sunday.

Bihar experiencing longest heatwave in 10 years: Report

Separately, The Times of India (ToI) reported that Bihar is currently experiencing the longest spell of heatwave in 10 years.

The temperature crossed 44*C-mark in 11 districts on Saturday.

The ToI reported, "Ashish Kumar Singh, scientist at Patna Meteorological Centre, told TOI on Saturday that the last longest spell of heatwave in Bihar stretched over 19 days in 2012. He attributed the ongoing heatwave spell to prolonged direct solar heating and absence of thundershowers."

Prima facie, deaths not related to heatwave: Senior govt doctor

After government doctors in Ballia attributed the 54 deaths to the ongoing heatwave conditions, a senior government doctor said that the deaths do not prima facie appear to be related to the heatwave, according to NDTV.

NDTV quoted Dr AK Singh, in-charge of a probe committee formed to look into the deaths, as saying that the deaths do not appear to be linked to the heatwave as similar conditions in neighbouring districts have not caused such deaths.

Singh told NTDV, "Prima facie, these do not appear to be heatwave-related deaths because nearby districts facing similar conditions are not throwing up similar death figures. The initial symptoms were of chest pain mostly which is not the first symptom for someone affected by a heatwave...It will be investigated if the deaths were due to water or if there's a different reason. The climate department will also come to check water samples."

NDTV reported that a senior Ballia-based government doctor was removed from his post after he gave a statement attributing the deaths to heatwave.

"Earlier in the day, a Chief Medical Superintendent rank doctor posted at Ballia was removed from his post, after his on record statement saying many of the deaths were due to heatstroke went viral . He has been removed for "giving a careless statement on deaths caused by heatwave without having proper information," UP Health Minister Brajesh Pathak said," reported NDTV.