Severe heat wave strikes Eastern India; 54 dead, nearly 300 hospitalised in UP's Ballia

Most parts of eastern India are reeling under severe heat waves in the past few days, with 54 deaths and nearly 300 hospitlisation in Uttar Prades's Ballia district alone.    

Ballia District Hospital in-charge SK Yadav told the news agency ANI that 23 patients died on June 15, 20 the next day, and 11 on Saturday (June 16). 

"On June 15, as per records, 154 people were admitted. On this day, 23 people died due to various reasons. As of June 17, 11 people have died, as per records," he said, adding that there are many different causes of death in this, especially in the case of people with chronic medical conditions.

"There is also a possibility of heatstroke...," SK Yadav told ANI. Most patients were above 60 years of age.

While speaking to reporters, Dr BP Tiwari, Additional Health Director, Azamgarh Circle, said, "Deaths of people above 60 years are increasing. It has not been confirmed yet as to what is the cause of death. A team from Lucknow will come tomorrow to investigate the matter. Another aspect is that due to excessive heat or extreme cold, the figures of death of patients with respiratory and other diseases increase."

The Uttar Pradesh government has reportedly ordered a probe into the deaths. A senior government spokesman said, "Uttar Pradesh government has launched a probe into the deaths. Two director-level officers from Lucknow have been sent to the district."

The Chief Medical Superintendent of Ballia district hospital, Diwakar Singh, has been transferred. Singh on Saturday said, "Increased heat poses a problem for all. But in such weather conditions, the problem increases more for the people suffering from diseases like blood pressure, and bronchial asthma, as these ailments aggravate."

Ballia and the entire central and eastern Uttar Pradesh are reeling under sultry weather.

The district recorded a maximum temperature of 43 degrees Celsius, five degrees above normal, and a relative humidity of 25 per cent, aggravating the impact of heat on Saturday.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), Ballia recorded a maximum temperature of 42.2 degree Celsius (also five degrees above normal) on June 16 and 42 degrees Celsius on June 15. The district is likely to witness a high 43 degrees Celsius on Sunday.

In its daily weather update, the IMD on Sunday said heat wave to severe heat wave conditions are likely to continue over eastern, east-central, and east
peninsular India during the next three days. 

"Heat Wave/Severe heat wave conditions are very likely to continue in some pockets over Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Telangana during the next 3 days; Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, East Madhya Pradesh, East Uttar Pradesh during the next 2 days," the department said.