India heatwave death toll rises as temperatures soar

Hyderabad, Telangana. Image by Morgan Davis / CC BY 2.0

The death toll in a weeks-long heatwave in India has now risen to at least 1826.

Meteorological officials called the hot weather “severe” and warned it would continue for at least another two days across a huge swathe of the South Asian country, from Tamil Nadu in the south to the Himalayan foothill state of Himachal Pradesh.

Most of those killed by heat-related conditions, including dehydration and heatstroke, have been in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana,where temperatures have soared to 47C (117F).

Cooling monsoon rains are expected next week in the south before gradually advancing north.

(Press Association)