Temperatures nearing 118 degrees Fahrenheit raise concerns over worsening extreme weather conditions.

On Friday, Indian health authorities confirmed the registration of more than 500 suspected heatstroke cases between March 1 and May 19. Successive heat waves have brought extreme temperatures approaching 118 degrees Fahrenheit.

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The state of Andhra Pradesh recorded 325 suspected cases, accounting for nearly one-third of the incidents reported during that period. There were also 200 suspected cases in the state of Maharashtra, home to its financial capital, Mumbai.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that maximum temperatures on Thursday ranged between 104 and 117 degrees Fahrenheit across much of the country, reaching a peak of 117.7 degrees in the town of Banda, in Uttar Pradesh. Indian scientists also warned that heat waves will become increasingly longer, stronger, and more frequent.

Early Friday morning, New Delhi recorded its hottest May night in 14 years, with temperatures above 89.4 degrees Fahrenheit. A student had to be admitted to a hospital in the capital in what is considered the first confirmed heatstroke case of this summer in the city.

What Is Heatstroke and Why Is It Dangerous?

A heatstroke case is a severe medical emergency that occurs when the body loses its ability to control its internal temperature and overheats to dangerous levels.

It typically develops when the body temperature rises above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius), often because of prolonged exposure to high temperatures, intense physical activity in hot conditions, or a combination of heat and dehydration.

Under normal circumstances, the body cools itself through sweating and increased blood flow to the skin, but during heatstroke these mechanisms become overwhelmed or stop functioning effectively.

Heatstroke can cause symptoms such as very high body temperature, confusion, dizziness, headache, nausea, rapid heartbeat, weakness, fainting and altered mental status.

In serious cases, a person may experience seizures, lose consciousness or suffer damage to vital organs including the brain, heart and kidneys. Without rapid treatment to lower body temperature and provide medical care, heatstroke can become life-threatening and may result in long-term complications or death.

From 2019 through 2022, at least 3,700 people died from factors related to extreme heat, most of them belonging to groups living below the poverty line, according to data from the National Crime Records Bureau.

In 2023, Indian authorities investigated more than 100 suspected deaths linked to extreme heat during a single weekend across several states, although social organizations claim that authorities underreport the actual mortality figures.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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