Spate of deaths in India amid extreme heatwave

  • last year

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Transcript
00:00 At this hospital in Uttar Pradesh, doctors treat patients who have symptoms of sunstroke.
00:05 The northern Indian state is in the midst of an intense heatwave, which is fast becoming
00:09 a threat to public health.
00:11 The extreme heat, which has seen temperatures reach up to 46 degrees Celsius in the country's
00:16 north and east in recent days, is suspected to have resulted in more than 100 deaths since
00:21 June 15.
00:23 This resident's son is among the dead.
00:25 "Right after he vomited, his body temperature became so high that we took him to the emergency
00:31 room at the local hospital.
00:33 It was very busy there.
00:35 There should have been facilities such as air conditioning for the patients, but there
00:39 were none."
00:41 Officials in the state are investigating the deaths, which are suspected to be due to the
00:45 heat.
00:46 Power outages have been making working conditions even tougher for medical professionals.
00:51 Out on the streets, business owners are struggling to work in the heat.
00:54 Some fear its consequences on their livelihoods.
00:58 The temperature these days ranges from 40 to 45 degrees Celsius.
01:02 Due to this, we're facing problems such as fewer customer visits, insufficient juice
01:06 sales, and a challenging life.
01:08 Climate experts say that such extreme weather is becoming increasingly common in countries
01:12 like India.
01:13 They're calling on the government to be better prepared for the repercussions of heatwaves.

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