‘Misery’ as heatwave hits India

Swathes of India from the north west to the south east have been hit by scorching heat, with New Delhi under a severe weather alert.

The Indian Meteorological Department warned blistering heat will continue for days before rains bring some relief.

The south-west monsoon is slightly delayed and will hit in the first week of June, causing temperatures to stay high longer than usual.

As temperatures crossed 45C in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, some parts suffered blackouts lasting more than 12 hours despite a March order for all power plants in the country to run at full capacity to reduce power cuts.

The heatwave in the state is likely to continue for two more days, a weather official said.

Hundreds of residents protested outside power stations near the state capital, Lucknow, and blocked roads over the weekend.

“Power cuts mean no ACS, no fans, and even no water,” said Ramesh Gupta, a Lucknow resident.

“The scorching heat has made our lives unbearable and the lack of power is adding to our misery.”

He said his wife was forced to sleep in the car over the weekend with the air conditioning on high so their nine-month-old baby would stop crying.

The searing heat forced many residents to seek refuge indoors.

“We have become prisoners to the relentless summer as no one wants to venture out,” said Sudhir Sehgal, a teacher.

Sukhai Ram, a gardener who is paid only when he works, was forced to set down his tools. “I cannot work any more now. I will work once the sun goes down,” he said.

Dairy workers wrapped their cans with jute to keep the milk from spoiling.

During heatwaves, the country usually also suffers severe water shortages, with tens of millions of its 1.4 billion people lacking running water.

A study by World Weather Attribution, an academic group that examines the source of extreme heat, found that a searing heatwave in April that struck parts of south Asia was made at least 30 times more likely by climate change.

The heat caused 13 people to die at a government event last month in India’s financial capital of Mumbai.

COOL: A worker at a building site seeks respite in Uttar Pradesh.