A severe and record-breaking heatwave is currently strangling India, leading to a rising death toll and life-threatening accidents involving electrical appliances. Bihar is burning under the scorching sun, with temperatures soaring above 44 degrees Celsius. The extreme conditions have resulted in the deaths of 19 individuals, including polling personnel and civilians. Several students in Sheikhpura, in the eastern state of Bihar, were rushed to hospitals after collapsing due to the high temperatures.

The country has been enduring relentless heat for the past three weeks. Water and electricity shortages, due to increased consumption, are causing extreme inconvenience. Hospitals are overflowing with a surge in heatstroke cases, and several deaths due to heatstroke have already been reported. While many parts of the country typically experience heatwaves in the summer, experts have noted that these events are now becoming longer, more intense, and more frequent.

Maximum temperatures have been hovering around 45-46 degrees Celsius for days on end, with terrifying spikes even reaching 50 degrees Celsius. Over the past week, the capital, Delhi, and surrounding regions have experienced record-breaking temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius. Delhi, sweltering under a severe heatwave, registered a provisional record temperature of 52.3 degrees Celsius. As a result, many parts of the northwest have been placed under a red alert due to the high risk of heat illness and heatstroke.

The rising temperatures in Delhi are believed to be due to the arrival of hot winds from the state of Rajasthan. With temperatures soaring, Rajasthan has also reported three deaths in the city of Jaipur. Numerous alarming incidents have emerged of electrical appliances, such as air conditioners and transformers, catching fire due to the intense and frequent heat in cities like Mumbai.