At least 16 people have died from heatstroke in southern India as an intense heatwave continues to grip large parts of the country, 24NewsHD TV reported on Sunday.
According to Indian media reports, several regions across India remained under severe heatwave conditions despite repeated public health warnings issued by medical authorities and disaster management agencies.
India, home to more than 1.45 billion people, has seen temperatures in several cities rise above 45 degrees Celsius in recent days, increasing health risks for vulnerable populations, outdoor workers, and the elderly.
Most of the reported deaths occurred in the southern state of Telangana, where authorities called for urgent precautionary measures to deal with the extreme weather conditions.
State Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy urged officials to maintain “statewide vigilance” to protect public health as temperatures continued to soar.
In a statement, the minister’s office said the intensity of the heat had reached “abnormal levels,” prompting authorities to strengthen emergency response and awareness efforts.
While harsh summers are common in India, scientists have increasingly linked rising temperatures and prolonged heatwaves to climate change.
Years of scientific research have shown that climate change is making heatwaves longer, more frequent, and more severe across South Asia and other parts of the world.