Severe heat leaves 54 dead in India's Uttar Pradesh
At least 54 people have died in India's Uttar Pradesh in the space of 72 hours amid sweltering temperatures. Doctors believe extreme heat may have been a factor in the deaths.
Hospitalisations have also soared as around 400 were admitted to Uttar Pradesh's Ballia District Hospital during that period.
A severe heatwave has swept UP, with most places seeing temperatures north of 40 degrees Celcius.
The sudden increase in deaths and hospitalisations with conditions such as fever, breathing trouble, and other issues have overwhelmed the hospital, which has put its staff on alert.
A total of 23 patients died on Thursday, 20 on Friday, and 11 on Saturday, SK Yadav, in-charge medical superintendent of District Hospital Ballia, told private broadcaster NDTV.
Dr BP Tiwari, additional health director of Azamgarh Circle, has said a team is coming from Lucknow to investigate if there's some disease which is not being detected. When it is too hot or cold, respiratory patients, diabetes patients, and blood pressure patients are at increased risk. The mercury rising a little may have led to their deaths, Dr Tiwari said.