On Wednesday, India faced extreme weather conditions, including severe heatwaves, landslides, and floods, resulting in at least 11 fatalities this week. Among the victims were a woman and her three daughters who were buried alive in a northeastern state, as reported by officials and media. New Delhi experienced its hottest night in six years on Tuesday, with hospitals in the city, home to 20 million people, recording at least five heatstroke-related deaths this week, according to Indian media. Incessant rains triggered floods and landslides in the northeastern state of Assam, killing at least six people on Tuesday night, officials stated. A state disaster management official, Siju Das, reported that a landslide buried a woman and her three daughters alive in their house on a slope, resulting in their immediate deaths around midnight. The bodies were recovered after a three-hour search operation by rescuers, and a three-year-old was also killed. Across Asia, billions are dealing with extreme heat this summer, a trend scientists attribute to human-driven climate change. Since March, temperatures have reached 50℃ in Delhi and the neighboring desert state of Rajasthan, with more than double the usual number of heatwave days recorded this season in northwest and eastern India. These conditions are due to fewer thundershowers and warm winds from neighboring arid regions. In Assam, over 160,000 people were affected as waters exceeded the danger level in the Kopili, a major tributary of the Brahmaputra, one of India's largest rivers. Since the end of May, more than 30 people have died in the state due to floods and landslides caused by heavy rain, officials added.
Text: Lara Palmer
19.06.2024
At least 11 Dead, Including Family Buried Alive in Northeastern State