Nearly 100 people have died in India’s Uttar Pradesh and Bihar states as the north and east of the country struggle to cope with a heatwave.
At least 400 people were admitted to a district hospital in Ballia in Uttar Pradesh with complaints of fever, breathlessness and other health complications. Of them, 54 died after suspected heart attacks, strokes and diarrhoea, officials said.
Most of the patients were aged over 60 and had pre-existing health conditions.
On Sunday, the district experienced a maximum temperature of 43°C – five degrees above the normal range for the month.
The government has opened an investigation into the deaths.
“Most of the patients who are coming for treatment complain that they first had chest pain, difficulty in breathing, and then fever. We are getting tests done,” Dr AK Singh, who is leading the investigation, said.
Dr SK Yadav, chief medical superintendent at the Ballia hospital, had earlier said about 300 patients had been admitted to the hospital for various ailments aggravated by heat.
In neighbouring Bihar, sweltering heat gripped most parts of the state.
At least 42 deaths were reported at two hospitals in the state capital Patna at the weekend.
More than 200 people suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting were being treated at hospitals.
The city recorded a maximum temperature of 44.7°C on Saturday.
India's Meteorological Department has also predicted severe heatwave conditions in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Jharkhand this week.
Authorities have extended summer holidays for schoolchildren in Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.
Experts say the heatwave is the result of the delayed monsoon.
The monsoon system usually enters India's mainland from the southern state of Kerala on about June 1, but this year it was delayed by a week due to Cyclone Biparjoy, leading to 37 per cent less rainfall.
The monsoon gradually moves north-west, covering the entire subcontinent over the next three months. The country receives about 75 per cent of its rainfall during this period.
“The heatwave conditions are prevailing over many parts of eastern India, eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh, due to delayed monsoon. It should have reached up to eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh but it is still over north-east India,” Mahesh Palawat, vice president of private weather forecaster Skymet Weather, told The National.
Mr Palawat said the monsoon was delayed as Cyclone Biparjoy churned in the Arabian Sea for a month before making landfall last week in the western state of Gujarat.
“This year we have seen a delayed onset of monsoon because of the cyclone. Its movement was very slow. It was the longest cyclone that stayed in the deep sea. Until it was over the Arabian Sea, it restricted the flow of the monsoon over the South Peninsula,” he said.
The nation of 1.4 billion has felt unprecedented heat for the last few years.
Last year, it reeled under one of the warmest summers since records began in 1901.
While the northern and eastern states are waiting for rainfall, monsoon showers have been lashing the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Intense thunderstorms and torrential rains pounded coastal areas of the capital Chennai in Tamil Nadu on Sunday, inundating many low-lying areas and flooding runways at the city’s airport.
The IMD has predicted heavy rainfall in Kerala on Monday.
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Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
'The Ice Road'
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne
2/5
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
