New Delhi, June 1 (EFE).- At least 62 people have died from the heat wave affecting northern India, including several election officials, while the country on Saturday holds the last phase of its general election, marked by temperatures of around 50 degrees Celsius.
In the state of Bihar, a total of 14 people died due to heat strokes earlier this week, according to a statement Friday by the disaster management authorities.
Among them are ten polling workers, responsible for tasks such as preparing polling stations or transporting electronic ballot boxes.
At least 26 people have died in suspected cases of heatstroke in the eastern state of Odisha, special relief commissioner Satyabrata Sahu told India’s PTI news agency.
In the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous in India with more than 200 million inhabitants, the hospital and police authorities reported 13 people having died, possibly due to heat stroke.
The Superintendent of Police of Mirzapur district, Abhinandan, said in a video message on social network X that those dead include security guards and health workers involved in organizing the general elections.
The state of Jharkhand, where a number of districts hold elections on Saturday, recorded four deaths from heat stroke, a number identical to that of desert Rajasthan, while New Delhi registered one death, according to PTI.
Much of northern India remains on alert for high temperatures, which has been above 45 degrees in numerous cities, according to the India Meteorological Department.
Heatwave conditions are expected to start dissipating across much of the country in the coming days, coinciding with the arrival of the monsoon in southern and northeastern India.
The ongoing general elections – which began on Apr.19 and which conclude June 1 – have been marked by high temperatures, affecting voter turnout. EFE
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