At least 33 Indian poll workers died due to heat on the final day of national elections, Saturday, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh alone, an election official said, as part of India suffers a succession of exceptional heat waves.
“Financial compensation of 1.5 million rupees ($18,000) will be paid to the families of the deceased“, Navdeep Rinwa, chief electoral officer of the state of Uttar Pradesh, told reporters on Sunday.
Many deaths have been reported in India following these intense heat waves, with temperatures above 45 degrees, but the deaths of several dozen officers in a single day represent a particularly high toll.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), temperatures in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi reached 46.9 degrees.
In another incident, in the town of Ballia in the same state, a man queuing to vote lost consciousness and died, the official said.
“The voter was transported to a health facility, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival” said Mr. Rinwa.
India experiences scorching temperatures in the hot season, but this year the heat waves have been exceptional, with temperature records broken.
Scientific research has shown that climate change is causing longer, more frequent and more intense heat waves around the world.
Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears poised to win a third term, according to several exit polls.
The results will be officially announced on Tuesday.
india heat climate
