25,000 suffer heatstroke, 61 dead: India reeling under heat

by June 17, 2024 Environment
Why have temperatures soared above 40 degrees? Whom does the heatwave affect the most? Watch this video, as we try to decode the heatwave in India.

India has been under the grip of a devastating heat wave for the past few months. Since April this year several parts of the country have seen abnormally high temperatures. For instance,  Bengaluru recorded a maximum temperature of 38.5 degrees Celsius on a Sunday, the city’s hottest April day since 2016. The city and parts of Southwestern regions of the country have experienced relief with the arrival of monsoon.

workers drinking water
Representational image. Civic workers in the heat in Chennai. Pic: Padmaja Jayaraman

However, conditions appear to be dire in North, Central and Eastern India. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued multiple heatwave warnings since May in parts of North Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar and UP. This is considered one of the longest heatwaves that the country has experienced.

Temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius have changed working patterns, shutdown schools and workplaces. Worse, 25,000 people have suffered from heatstroke and over 61 have lost their lives.

Why is this happening? Who is it affecting the most? And what do we do about the heat? We are going to try and answer all these questions in this three-part series.
In Part 1 of this video series, we explain what a heatwave is, why it’s happening and what the government is doing about it.

Also read:

Sections:

About Bhanu Sridharan

Bhanu is the Engagement Editor at Citizen Matters, Bengaluru. She previously worked an independent journalist and primarily covered environmental issues. Her work has been published in Mongabay India, the Wire, Caravan and Citizen Matters. She is interested in issues of justice, equity, access to nature and how Bengaluru's growth impacts nature and people.
Read more by Bhanu Sridharan

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Similar Story

The future of Bengaluru’s lakes: How to ensure effective community-led restoration

by and September 3, 2026 Environment
Clear bye-laws, neighbourhood participation and NGO accountability can save the city's ecological spaces.

Citizen lake groups have historically played an important role in protecting the city’s lakes. The erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has a long history of engaging with citizen groups. Citizen-led lake groups have long played a crucial role in acting as “watchdogs” of Bangalore’s lakes. They are often the “first responders” to problems that emerge in water bodies. They have raised alarm bells around illegal encroachments and often help coordinate between agencies to monitor rejuvenation efforts. They foster community awareness on lakes and are often able to innovate new solutions. The most recent version is the Kere Mitra (Lake‑Friend)…

Continue reading

Similar Story

The city and its lakes: Decoding the decline of Bengaluru’s waterbirds

by , , , , and September 2, 2026 Environment
Analysis of 14 Bengaluru lakes shows migratory waterbirds are disappearing faster than residents due to poor urban lake management.

Lying at an altitude of 920 metres in the rain-shadow area of the Western Ghats, Bengaluru’s geography and climate do not support a perennial natural water source. Instead, a north-south ridge divides the city into three primary valleys: Hebbal, Koramangala-Challagatta, and Vrishabhavathi. Rainwater draining down these slopes feeds a network of small streams — forming a cascading lake system that the city historically relied on for its water supply. During the Open City biodiversity datajam held in December 2025, our group examined the ecological trends around Bengaluru's lakes. Data on insects, spiders and flora on platforms like iNaturalist were insufficient…

Continue reading