'48 Degrees in May': India Hit by Heatstroke Deaths and Mass Livestock Fatalities

Heatwave Alerts Issued Across Europe Including the UK and France

Countries around the world, including India, the UK, and France, are suffering from an unusually early heatwave in May. The ongoing energy crisis resulting from the Middle East conflict has led to shortages of water and electricity, and the heatwave has compounded the situation, causing significant damage such as heat-related illnesses and mass deaths of livestock.

Earliest Tropical Night on Record in the UK

According to AFP and Bloomberg News on the 27th (local time), India has been experiencing sustained heatwaves not only in the southern regions but also across the north and west since last month. In some areas, including Rajasthan in the west, daytime highs exceeded 48 degrees Celsius. Last week, power demand reached 270 GW (gigawatts), setting an all-time high, and some southern areas experienced blackouts.

On the 27th (local time), people are cooling off in the river in Prayagraj, India. Photo by AP News Agency

As a result, there have been a series of incidents, including deaths from heat-related illnesses, water shortages, livestock deaths, and blackouts. Recently, 37 people died of heatstroke in India. Last week in Telangana, southern India, 16 people died from the heatwave, and in the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh, 21 people lost their lives. In Rajasthan in particular, water shortages led to the deaths of cattle.

In Bangladesh, temperatures have soared to 37 degrees Celsius since the end of last month, which is the hottest time of the year. Although Bangladesh is the world's second-largest garment producer, disruptions to the power supply caused by the Middle East conflict have made it difficult to use cooling devices such as fans, resulting in suffering among factory workers.

In India, the heat typically begins in March or April, with daytime highs reaching around 50 degrees Celsius by May, and temperatures gradually dropping as the monsoon season starts in June. Meteorological experts have diagnosed that the ongoing heatwave across the Indian subcontinent this month is due to the El Nino phenomenon.

On the 22nd (local time), residents stood next to plastic containers brought to fill fuel for agricultural water pumps at a gas station in Halvad, Gujarat, India. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also urged caution and preventive measures regarding heat-related illnesses the previous day, according to German media outlet Deutsche Welle (DW). He said, "This heat is harsh on all of us," adding, "Drink enough water and always carry water when going outside. Please offer a glass of water to others as well." He continued, "A small act of kindness can have a big impact."

Earliest Tropical Night on Record in the UK... Surge in Drowning Accidents

In the UK, the temperature at Kew Gardens in London soared to 35.1 degrees Celsius the previous day, breaking the record for the highest temperature ever recorded in May. On the 25th, the UK experienced its earliest-ever tropical night, as temperatures did not drop below 20 degrees Celsius overnight. A heat health alert has been issued across England.

Since the 24th, there have been a total of nine drowning accidents in seas, rivers, and lakes across the UK. Of the nine people who died, seven were teenagers or children. In response, the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) warned, "When temperatures reach 25 degrees Celsius, the risk of accidental drowning increases fivefold, and the risk is even higher for teenagers and young people," issuing a water safety alert that day.

On the 25th (local time), as the UK recorded record-breaking heat, tourists were passing by near Big Ben, a famous tourist attraction in London. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

France also set May heat records, with temperatures reaching 37.1 degrees Celsius in Landes, southwest France, on the 25th and up to 35.8 degrees in La Roche-sur-Yon, western France, on the 26th. An orange-level heatwave alert has been issued for eight departments in western France. According to the French Meteorological Agency, temperatures could reach as high as 39 degrees Celsius in the coming days.

There have also been related accidents in France. Maud Bréjeon, the French government spokesperson, announced that "seven deaths related directly or indirectly to the heatwave have occurred in recent days," adding, "Among these, there were five drowning incidents, and there was also a death resulting from heat during a sports event."

Recently, the European heatwave has been attributed to a heat dome phenomenon, in which hot air from North Africa becomes trapped under a high-pressure system over Western Europe. Bloomberg News pointed out that when heatwaves occur early in the season, soil moisture evaporates more quickly, which in turn causes temperatures to rise more easily and leads to a vicious cycle of less rainfall.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.