INDIA: Massive power cuts, scarce water and soaring temperatures begin to take their toll on people across India as heatstroke and dehydration continue to suffocate parts of the country sweltering underneath a heatwave
Record ID:
1374705
INDIA: Massive power cuts, scarce water and soaring temperatures begin to take their toll on people across India as heatstroke and dehydration continue to suffocate parts of the country sweltering underneath a heatwave
- Title: INDIA: Massive power cuts, scarce water and soaring temperatures begin to take their toll on people across India as heatstroke and dehydration continue to suffocate parts of the country sweltering underneath a heatwave
- Date: 25th May 2013
- Summary: AMRITSAR, PUNJAB, INDIA (MAY 25, 2013) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) VARIOUS OF TRACTOR PULLING SHALLOW PLOUGH THROUGH FIELD VARIOUS OF FARMERS STANDING NEAR FIELDS PAN FROM GENERATOR PUMPING NEAR WATER TUBEWELL GUSHING VARIOUS OF TUBEWELL PUMPING WATER (SOUNDBITE) (Punjabi) FARMER, HARDEEP SINGH, SAYING: "We are facing lot of problems mainly due to a lack of power supply, as there's no real time when we can get it. Sometimes it comes on 10 at night and other times at 12. Rice seedlings are drying out and I am can't irrigate the fields with just a few days left to transplant the rice paddy seedlings, not when there's only couple of hours of electricity supply." NEW DELHI, INDIA (MAY 25, 2013) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) FOUNTAIN NEAR MAIN ROAD BIRDS DRINKING WATER FROM FOUNTAIN TRAFFIC DRIVING TOWARDS INDIA GATE TRAFFIC POLICE SITTING UNDER THE TREE MEN LYING UNDER TREE SUN SEEN THROUGH TREE BRANCHES MAN SLEEPING ON A BENCH VARIOUS OF MAN SLEEPING UNDERNEATH TREE VARIOUS OF SMAN WATERING PLANTS IN PUBLIC PARK CROW DRINKING WATER EXTERIOR OF THE OFFICE OF INDIAN METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT MAP OF INDIA SHOWING TEMPERATURES IN DIFFERENT CITIES (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) NATIONAL WEATHER FORECASTING CENTRE (NWFC) INDIA METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, VIKRAM SINGH, SAYING: "At present the temperature is 45 degree Celsius, but in two or three days it might go down to nearer 42 degree Celsius. At 42 also you will feel hot but the severity will be much less." LUCKNOW, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (MAY 25, 2013) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) PEOPLE OUTSIDE LUCKNOW RAILWAY STATION EXTERIOR OF THE RAILWAY STATION OF LUCKNOW VARIOUS OF PEOPLE FANNING THEMSELVES WITH BOOKS AND HANDKERCHIEFS VARIOUS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN LYING ON THE PLATFORM, FANNING THEMSELVES A WOMAN DRINKING WATER WOMEN FILLING WATER BOTTLE WOMAN FANNING HERSELF WITH HUSBAND AND CHILDREN IN TRAIN STATION (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) PASSENGER, ANURADHA, SAYING: "It's such a big station and still there's no fan facilities. We got a lot of problems but we can't do anything. Our children are also getting restless in this heat." VARIOUS OF WOMEN WALKING WITH HEADS COVERED WITH SCARVES VENDOR SELLING CUCUMBER TO LOCALS VEHICLES DRIVING DOWN ROAD
- Embargoed: 9th June 2013 21:59
- Keywords:
- Location: India
- Country: India
- Topics: Environment,Energy
- Reuters ID: LVA37ZKWYJUZ7B1QTIPV1RW1OM26
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Unending power cuts, a growing scarcity of water and soaring temperatures take their toll on people across India as they suffer from heat stroke as well as dehydration due to blistering heatwave that continued to suffocate much of the country on Saturday (May 25).
People across northern India were seen trying to cool down by drinking fresh fruit juices, local yogurt, cold beverages and wrapping themselves with cotton vales while venturing out.
Farmers in Amritsar city in the northern Punjab state face frequent power cuts, often unending; compelled to instead use generators to work on their farm -- an expensive alternative.
Farmer Hardeep Singh said that the due to long power cuts his paddy fields are starved of water.
"We are facing lot of problems mainly due to a lack of power supply, as there's no real time when we can get it. Sometimes it comes on 10 at night and other times at 12," he said.
"Rice seedlings are drying out and I am can't irrigate the fields with just a few days left to transplant the rice paddy seedlings, not when there's only couple of hours of electricity supply," he added.
Locals in New Delhi tried to cool off themselves with prolonged swimming sessions in the pools across the national capital.
The Director of National Weather Forecasting Centre (NWFC) India Meteorological Department,Vikram Singh, said there could be a dip in temperature from 45 to 42 degree Celsius in the days to come, though the relief would only be temporary.
"At present the temperature is 45 degree Celsius, but in two or three days it might go down to nearer 42 degree Celsius. At 42 also you will feel hot but the severity will be much less," he said.
At Lucknow city's railway station in northern Uttar Pradesh state passengers were facing a scarcity of drinking water, making life even more difficult for travellers already suffering from the heat.
Anuradha, a local, complained about the lack of basic amenities like drinking water, as well as the the station not having fans or coolers to deal with such severe heat wave conditions.
"It's such a big station and still there's no fan facilities. We got a lot of problems but we can't do anything. Our children are also getting restless in this heat," she said.
The record breaking heatwave has gripped large swathes of India, even as the country waits for the annual monsoon rains to reach the mainland.
May and June are usually the hottest months of the year in India with temperatures often in the range of 42 to 47 degrees Celsius in many places. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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