Heatwave in India: Nearly 20,000 people are suspected of heatstroke and more than 50 have died

Between March and May this year, there were multiple heat waves across India, with nearly 25,000 people suspected to have suffered heat stroke and 56 deaths.

Indian media cited government data to report the situation, Reuters reported. In May, India was hit by extreme weather, with temperatures reaching 50C in the national capital region of Delhi and the nearby state of Rajasthan; Parts of the east have been affected by super Cyclone Remal, which killed 14 people in Assam this week.

Meanwhile, cities in the southern states of Karnataka and Kerala have also seen heavy rains. The Karnataka Bond technology city of Bangalore received 111.1 mm of rain on Sunday (June 2), the highest level in the city since June 1891.

A number of factors, including climate change, have combined to cause hot summers in South Asian countries such as India. In the northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, as well as in the eastern state of Odisha, at least 33 people died of suspected heatstroke, including election officials on duty during the general election voting period.

The May heatwave was the worst, with 46 heat-related deaths and 19,189 suspected cases of heatstroke across the country, news website The Print reported, citing data from India's National Centre for Disease Control.

The Hindu newspaper reported that if suspected cases were included, the death toll from the heat in India could be much higher than 80.

The weather bureau predicted that the high temperature will ease by Wednesday (5th). The early arrival of the monsoon in Kerala last week promises more relief.