Dozens die as northern India swelters under heatwave

At least 34 people have died in the past two days as a large swath of the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh swelters under severe heat, officials said on Saturday, prompting doctors to advise residents over 60 to stay indoors during the daytime.

At least 34 people have died in the past two days as a large swath of the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh swelters under severe heat, officials said on Saturday, prompting doctors to advise residents over 60 to stay indoors during the daytime.

The dead were all aged over 60 and had pre-existing health conditions that may have been exacerbated by the intense heat.

The fatalities occurred in Ballia district, some 300km (200 miles) southeast of Lucknow, the state capital.

Twenty-three deaths were reported on Thursday and another 11 died on Friday, Ballia’s Chief Medical Officer Jayant Kumar said.

“All the individuals were suffering from some ailments and their conditions worsened due to the extreme heat,” Kumar told The Associated Press news agency on Saturday.

He said most of the deaths were because of heart attacks, brain strokes and diarrhoea.