At least 11 people have died from suspected heat-related causes in western India, and Pakistan also sweltered in extreme temperatures on Friday. Meanwhile, parts of Bangladesh and neighboring regions are preparing for a likely cyclone this weekend.
In India’s western Rajasthan state, local media reported nine suspected heat-related deaths. Phalodi, a desert town in Rajasthan, recorded a temperature of 49 degrees Celsius (120.2 Fahrenheit) on Friday, the highest in the country this year. Disaster management officials in Rajasthan have yet to confirm the exact cause of these deaths, pending medical examinations.
Weather officials have issued warnings of conditions ranging from heatwave to severe heatwave in many parts of Rajasthan, as well as in the northern states of Punjab and Haryana. In the western city of Ahmedabad, at least two people have died of heat stroke, according to Additional Superintendent Rajnish Patel. Vikas Bihani, a spokesperson for the state-run ambulance service, reported numerous hospitalizations in the city due to heat-related illnesses over the past three days.
In India, a heatwave is declared when temperatures reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in the plains, marking a departure of at least 4.5 degrees Celsius from the normal maximum temperature. Typically, India’s summer temperatures peak in May, but scientists have predicted an increase in heatwave days this year. This is largely attributed to fewer non-monsoon thunderstorms and an active but weakening dry El Niño weather phenomenon.
