Doctors advise people over 60 to stay indoors as India’s northern state swelters in extreme heat

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As the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh grapples with severe heat, medical experts have urged citizens above 60 years of age to remain indoors during daylight hours. In the last 48 hours, the extreme temperatures have claimed the lives of at least 34 individuals, according to officials.

The victims, all aged over 60 and having preexisting health conditions, were residents of Ballia district, located around 300 kilometers southeast of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh’s capital city. The intense heat potentially exacerbated their health conditions. Jayant Kumar, Ballia’s Chief Medical Officer, reported 23 fatalities on Thursday and an additional 11 on Friday.

According to Kumar, the victims were dealing with various health issues that were aggravated by the extreme heat. Heart attacks, strokes, and diarrhea were the main causes of the fatalities. Diwakar Singh, another medical professional, affirmed the vulnerability of elderly people to extreme heat, stating that the victims were admitted to Ballia’s primary hospital in a critical state.

Recent data from the India Meteorological Department highlighted the severity of the heat, indicating a maximum temperature of 42.2 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit) on Friday in Ballia, which is 4.7 C (8 F) above the usual.

The intense summer heat has led to widespread power outages across the state, depriving people of essentials like running water, fans, and air conditioning, leading to public protests. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in a statement on Friday, reassured the public that the government was making every effort to maintain a steady power supply. He also appealed for judicious use of electricity by citizens.

While April, May, and June generally bring high temperatures across India before the arrival of monsoon rains, the heat intensity has been escalating over the past decade. Heatwaves often lead to severe water shortages, affecting tens of millions of the country’s 1.4 billion population.

World Weather Attribution, a research group specializing in investigating the origins of extreme heat events, found that climate change significantly increased the likelihood of the blistering heatwave experienced in parts of South Asia in April. The heatwave resulted in 13 fatalities at a government function in Mumbai, India’s financial hub, leading to a week-long closure of schools in some states.

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• Heatwaves and Health Impact
• Uttar Pradesh State Government
• India Meteorological Department
• World Weather Attribution Study on Heatwaves
• Impact of Climate Change on Heatwaves