Temperatures in India are nearing 50 degrees Celsius.

On May 27, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned of extreme heat gripping the world's most populous nation.

The warning comes as the Indian military is stretched thin dealing with wildfires, and local authorities are reporting numerous deaths due to heatstroke.

According to data from the international air quality monitoring platform AQI, the 45 hottest cities in the world are all in India, with temperatures simultaneously exceeding 43 degrees Celsius at noon on May 27th.

Notably, also on May 27th, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded a record high of 47.4 degrees Celsius in Banda city, Uttar Pradesh state, about 465km southeast of New Delhi – 3.8 degrees Celsius higher than the multi-year average. Earlier this month, the city had reached 48.2 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, in New Delhi, midday temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius.

In his statement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that many areas across the country are currently facing soaring temperatures, and urged Indian citizens to take all necessary precautions.

Extreme heat can lead to severe dehydration, causing the blood to thicken and potentially resulting in multiple organ failure in particularly critical cases.

In fact, in the past week alone, at least 16 people have died from heatstroke in the southern Indian state of Telangana.

Prime Minister Modi warned that ignoring warning signs could quickly lead to dangerous situations, even heatstroke. Particularly vulnerable groups in these extreme weather conditions include children, the elderly, and outdoor workers.

In addition, climate change is causing heatwaves to last longer, occur more frequently, and become more intense. Consequently, rising summer temperatures also increase the risk of wildfires.

On the same day, the Indian army released images of soldiers working to control a fierce wildfire that raged for 16 hours near the mountain town of Kasauli in the Himalayan region.

Air force helicopters continuously dropped large water tanks onto the scene. The military said this was a decisive measure in controlling the fire.

Firefighting efforts are still ongoing.

Amid the risk of a prolonged heatwave, the IMD also issued a warning of severe water shortages and urged people to conserve water.

The highest temperature ever officially recorded in India was 51 degrees Celsius, measured in the city of Phalodi in Rajasthan state in 2016.

(VNA/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/nen-nhiet-tai-an-do-gan-cham-nguong-50-do-c-post1112911.vnp