A heatwave has been scorching the southeast of India for over a month now, and shows no sign of letting up. In the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, temperatures have soared to almost 50°C (the highest recorded at time of writing was 47.7°). As a result, over 750 people have died.
Authorities have issued advice to help keep residents safe: they’ve advised that people stay inside in the middle of the day, drink lots of water and buttermilk, and wear cotton clothes and hats. In Kolkata, taxi unions have told drivers to stay off the roads between 11am and 4pm.
But all this doesn’t help the fact that many don’t have a lot of choice over whether they stay inside or not. Many agricultural workers are still forced to work in direct sunlight, and, according to the Asian Correspondant news site, many of the victims so far are believed to be homeless people.
Relief should come soon in the form of June’s monsoon season, which should hit the south of the country in around a week, but will take longer to reach the north.
Here’s a man lying in the shade in Hyderabad:
Taxis sit unused during the day in Kolkata:
A restaurant worker throws water to cool down a pavement in Amritsar:
Images: Getty.
