Select a date Select month July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 Select a category Agriculture Bihar Votes For Its (and India’s) Future BUDGET 2014 Budget 2015: Modi’s Moment of Reckoning Budget 2016: The stories behind the numbers Chart of the Day Climate Change Cover Story Currency Chaos Development Education Elections 2014 Employment Fact Check Governance Newsletter Health homepage video Hunger India’s Great Challenge: Health & Sanitation IndiaSpend In The News IndiaSpend Interviews Industry Investigations Central State Latest Headlines Latest Reports Making Sense of Breaking News Modi’s Message: India’s States Reply Modi’s Report Card Mumbai Special Mumbai Special: The Revival Agenda Opinion – Videos Opinions Pollution Poverty Prime Time: India’s Grand Challenges Resources Central State Sectors Agriculture Defence Economy & Policy Education Health Infrastructure Snapshots States Central India Chattisgarh Madhya Pradesh EAST Bihar Jharkhand Orissa West Bengal NORTH Haryana Himachal Pradesh Jammu & Kashmir New Delhi Punjab Rajasthan Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand NORTH EAST Arunachal Pradesh Assam Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Nagaland Sikkim Tripura SOUTH Andhra Pradesh Karnataka Kerala Tamil Nadu WEST Goa Gujarat Maharashtra Story In A Minute The Air We #Breathe The Road To Delhi: Elections 2015 The Transition: 2015-2016 Uncategorized Viznomics: A Quick Glance At Big Issues Welfare Women Women@Work Women@Work Search with Google

There was a 61% increase in the number of deaths due to heat stoke across India between 2004 to 2013, according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, with indications that these numbers represent a vast under-reporting.

More than 800 people have died this month in a wave of heat rippling across India, 550 in Andhra Pradesh and over 200 in Telangana, according to this DNA report.

Heat stroke is India’s second-deadliest natural calamity after lightning. It is caused when the body’s temperature rises to 40°C (104°F) or more, accompanied by delirium, seizures or coma. Heat stroke can be a fatal condition.

Andhra-Telangana: Ground zero for heat, death

On Saturday, a temperature of 48°C was recorded in Telangana’s Khammam district, breaking the all-time high of 47.2°C recorded in 1947.

Over the last 10 years, 9,734 people have died across the country from heat stroke. Andhra Pradesh (including Telangana) has seen 1,723 deaths between 2004 and 2013.

Heat Stroke Deaths in India, 2004 to 2013

Source: NCRB/Data.gov.in

In 2013, Andhra Pradesh reported 418 deaths from heat stroke, followed by Punjab (144) and Uttar Pradesh (108).

Deaths due to Heat Stroke from 2004 to 2013 (Top 5 states)

Source: NCRB/Data.gov.in

These data are reported cases. Many heat mortalities go unreported, according to a Scroll report.



Indications that many more die than data reveal

For example, the city of Ahmedabad reported a 43% higher mortality rate in May 2010 when the city experienced a heat wave, compared with the same days in 2009 and 2011, Scroll reported.

More than 1,344 deaths occurred in May 2010, relative to the average for the years before and after; NCRB reported only 58 deaths in 2010 for the entire state of Gujarat.

Gujarat: Heat Stroke Deaths, 2004 to 2013

Source: NCRB/Data.gov.in

A heat wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, more than the normal maximum temperature that occurs during the summer season in the North-Western swathes of India, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.

Extreme temperatures and resultant atmospheric conditions adversely affect people living in these regions, causing physiological stress that can kill.

The India Meteorological Department has warned that heat-wave conditions will prevail over Odisha and Madhya Pradesh over the coming days.

Image Credit: Flickr| Sankara Subramanian

____________________________________________________________

“Liked this story? Indiaspend.org is a non-profit, and we depend on readers like you to drive our public-interest journalism efforts. Donate Rs 500; Rs 1,000, Rs 2,000.”



