A severe heat wave that has been affecting portions of India for the past three days has claimed the lives of over fifty people.
Over the weekend, the heat in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh claimed the lives of about thirty-three individuals.
These included those working in the general election, such as poll workers, security personnel, and sanitation employees; the last round of voting took place on Saturday.
About 20 individuals in the state of Odisha (Orissa) passed away from heat stroke, according to officials.
India has its general election in the summer months of April and May every five years.
However, this year has broken records for temperatures, with frequent, longer, and more extreme heatwaves across the nation.
According to the federal health ministry, between March 1 and May 30, there were at least 56 documented cases of heat stroke deaths. During that time, 24,849 cases of heatstroke were reported.
State-by-state data, however, indicates that the true figure may be significantly higher.
Twenty of the 99 probable heat stroke deaths in Odisha that district officials reported in the last 72 hours have been confirmed, according to a statement from the state’s Special Relief Commissioner.
The chief electoral officer of Uttar Pradesh, Navdeep Rinwa, informed reporters that the surviving relatives of poll workers would receive 1.5 million rupees ($18,000; £14,000) in compensation.
