Summer of deaths: 143, 209 or 448 - What's the real death toll in India due to heatwave?
health ministry reported that 143 people across India had succumbed to heatstroke this summer, based on confirmed data from states as of June 20. However, numbers collected by TOI from state governments indicate 209 confirmed heat-related deaths, in addition to 239 suspected deaths, totaling 448 confirmed and suspected fatalities this season.
The health ministry's data shows Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of such deaths at 35, followed by Delhi with 21 deaths. Rajasthan and Odisha each reported 17 fatalities due to heatstroke. Ministry sources suggest that the death toll may increase as investigations into some suspected heatstroke-related deaths are ongoing.
According to TOI's data, Delhi has recorded 76 heat-related deaths so far, marking the highest confirmed toll in the country. These figures were compiled from various government hospitals in the capital. Uttar Pradesh's Relief Commissioner Office reported 51 confirmed heat-related deaths, with an additional 65 suspected heat-related fatalities, including 51 in Ghaziabad district and 14 in Noida district.
Odisha reported 41 heat-related deaths, the third highest in the country, with 118 more suspected fatalities. Bihar confirmed 19 such deaths, while Rajasthan's toll stood at 16. Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh reported 14 and 15 deaths, respectively, that are suspected to be caused by heat. Jharkhand reported 12 such cases, and Haryana and Tamil Nadu each reported five.
A health ministry official elaborated on the process of collecting data on
