heatwave from March to May, Reuters reported, citing local media and government data.May was particularly harsh, with temperatures in Delhi and Rajasthan soaring to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).Meanwhile, parts of eastern India grappled with Cyclone Remal, and heavy rains in Assam claimed 14 lives since Tuesday.Also Read | Lok Sabha elections 2024: Postal ballots will be counted first, confirms ECI day after Oppn moves poll bodyOn Friday, at least 33 people, including election officials, died of suspected heatstroke in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha during India's general election.Data from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) revealed that May was the worst month, with 46 heat-related deaths and 19,189 suspected heat stroke cases, as reported by The Print.Including suspected cases, the total death toll in India could be as high as 80, according to The Hindu. The central state of Madhya Pradesh alone recorded over 5,000 heat stroke cases.Also Read | Bill Gates to Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg — A look at the hobbies tech billionaires enjoyNotably, there is some relief in sight as the weather office has predicted less severe heatwave conditions until Wednesday.
The early arrival of the monsoon in Kerala last week is expected to bring further relief.Twenty people have died from sunstroke in Odisha over the past three days as the state experiences a severe heatwave, according to an official statement.Since Friday, authorities have reported 99 suspected sunstroke deaths across various districts. Post-mortem examinations and inquiries confirmed 20 of these as sunstroke deaths, while two were due to other causes, PTI reported.
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