Heatwave kills more than 1,100 in India

HYDERABAD, India: Stifling heat has killed more than 1,100 people in India in less than one week.
The worst-hit area is the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh, where authorities say 852 people have died in the heat wave. Another 266 have died in the neighboring state of Telangana.
Hospitals were on alert to treat victims of heatstroke and authorities advised people to stay indoors, with no end in sight to the searing conditions.
India’s Meteorological Department said it had issued heat warnings to several states where temperatures were forecast to top 45 degrees Celsius over the next few days.
“As of now, we don’t predict any respite from the extreme heatwave for the next few days,” said spokesman B. P. Yadav.
Hundreds of people — mainly from the poorest sections of society — die at the height of summer every year across the country, while tens of thousands suffer power cuts from an overburdened electricity grid.
Streets were deserted in Hyderabad, capital of the worst-hit state of Andhra Pradesh in southern India where 551 people have died in the last week.
“The state government has taken up education programmes through television and other media to tell people not to venture into the outside without a cap, to drink water and other measures,” said P. Tulsi Rani, special commissioner for disaster management in the state.
“We have also requested NGOs and government organisations to open up drinking water camps so that water will be readily available for all the people in the towns.”
Hyderabad street vendor P. Gangamma said the heat was making her head pound, but she had no choice but to stay outside.
“For the past three days hot wind has been coming in,” said the 65-year-old, who sells cigarettes on a busy intersection.
“I am a diabetes patient, but I have no husband and no sons, so I have to stay here and keep shop.”
Large parts of India, including the capital New Delhi, have endured days of sweltering heat, prompting fears of power cuts as energy-guzzling air conditioners work overtime.
The Hindustan Times daily said the maximum temperature in the capital hit a two-year high of 45.5 degrees Celsius on Monday — five degrees higher than the seasonal average.
The paper carried a front-page photo of a main road in the city melting in the heat, with the white pedestrian crossing stripes curling and spreading into the black asphalt.