PM Modi urges Indians to shield themselves against heat
Premier Narendra Modi has appealed to Indian citizens to protect themselves from an going severe heat wave that has so far claimed more than 2,200 lives across the south Asian country.
In an address Sunday, Premier Modi told Indians to drink plenty of water and keep their bodies covered to avoid sunstroke.
The premier also urged the Indians to take care of their livestock, including birds, animal and cattle, by providing them with water.
The remarks come as the death toll from a severe heatwave sweeping large swathes of India has now surpassed 2,200 people.
The southern states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have experienced the most deaths after temperatures in some of the regions were recorded close to 48 degrees Celsius during the past week.
A total of 1,636 deaths have been reported from the southern state of Andhra Pradesh alone. At least 541 people have also died in heat-related incidents in neighboring Telangana State.
Local media outlets have also reported over 60 deaths from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa states, as well as the national capital, New Delhi.
Sources say many of the victims have been the poor, forced to work in the open because of their livelihoods, or the elderly.
The ongoing soaring temperatures have scorched crops, killed wildlife, and endangered those laboring outdoors.
India’s Meteorological Department has said that the scorching temperatures could continue for the next few days until the monsoon rains finally arrive.
India's monsoon rains - which were expected to start by June 1 this year - have been delayed by two days, according to meteorological officials, who say the seasonal downpours would hit the southern coast of Kerala by Wednesday.
JR/HMV/SS
Tension flares in India after Modi's anti-Muslim hate speech amid elections
Voters begin casting ballots in weeks-long election in India
India’s top court puts on hold order outlawing Islamic schools
‘Say no to Biden’: US college being pressed not to endorse genocide
VIDEO | UN: Alarming food insecurity crisis grips Afghanistan
VIDEO | Stuck in quagmire
UK suspends legal assessments of Israeli violations in Gaza
Students protest at US universities to urge end in financial ties to Israel
Biden signs war aid bill supplying Israel, Ukraine with more weapons
VIDEO | France, West warn Israel against escalation with Iran
Iran refutes Kuwait’s assertion of exclusive rights to Arash gas field
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
