A scorching heat wave kills 14 in India ahead of a final round of election voting on Saturday

A scorching heat wave kills 14 in India ahead of a final round of election voting on Saturday


Residents and children fill water from a tanker amid a water crisis amid the summer months at Vivekananda Camp Chanakyapuri on May 31, 2024 in New Delhi.

Sonu Mehta | Hindustan Times | Getty Images

A blistering heat wave has killed at least 14 people, including 10 election officials, in eastern India with temperatures soaring up to 49.9 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of the country this week, officials said Friday.

The weeklong heat wave has forced schools to close at several places and raised the risk of heatstroke for outdoor laborers.

A statement by the Bihar state government said 14 people have died in the state, including five in Bhojpur and three in Rohtas districts, with day temperatures rising to 44 Celsius (111 Fahrenheit).

The heat wave came as hundreds of millions of Indians have been voting in a 6-week long general election, increasing health risks as they waited in long lines to cast their ballots. The seventh and final round of voting will be held on Saturday.

The counting of votes will take place on June 4.

Voters wait in line under a makeshift canopy on a hot day at a polling station during the sixth phase of voting for General Lok Sabha elections on May 25, 2024 in New Delhi.

Raj K Raj | Hindustan Times | Getty Images

The sizzling temperatures also take a toll on animals, putting them at risk of dehydration and heatstroke.

April, May and June are always hot in most parts of India before monsoon rains bring cooler temperatures. But extreme heat is fast becoming a public health crisis in India, with the warm weather getting more intense since the past decade and creating severe water shortages.

A study by World Weather Attribution, an academic group that examines the source of extreme heat, found that a searing heat wave in April — that struck parts of Asia — was made at least 45 times more likely in some parts of the continent by climate change.

Climate experts say extreme heat in South Asia during the pre-monsoon season is becoming more frequent. The study found that extreme temperatures are now about 0.85 C (1.5 F) hotter in the region because of global warming.



Source

Powell confirms that the Fed would have cut by now were it not for tariffs
World

Powell confirms that the Fed would have cut by now were it not for tariffs

US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell testifies during a House Financial Services Committee hearing on “The Federal Reserve’s Semi-Annual Monetary Policy Report” on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on June 24, 2025. Saul Loeb | Afp | Getty Images Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the U.S. central bank would have easier monetary […]

Read More
Banks say Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ could boost the U.S. economy – despite deficit concerns
World

Banks say Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ could boost the U.S. economy – despite deficit concerns

The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” — or officially, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — is a controversial piece of legislation, but some banks are in favor of it, saying it’s the shot in the arm the economy needs. It was advanced […]

Read More
Tesla shares tumble after Trump says DOGE should look at Elon Musk’s subsidies
World

Tesla shares tumble after Trump says DOGE should look at Elon Musk’s subsidies

Elon Musk speaks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump as they watch the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on November 19, 2024 in Brownsville, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty Images News | Getty Images Shares of Tesla were under pressure on Tuesday after President Donald Trump said in a late […]

Read More