India is suffering from a severe heatwave during the corona crisis. The mercury rose to 50 degrees in some places. The country is now also dealing with flooding and a locust plague.
The 1.3 billion inhabitants of India are more likely to deal with warm weather, but Wednesday’s temperatures are seen as unprecedentedly high.
In the capital New Delhi, temperatures have been measured of 47.6 degrees. That means that it is the hottest day in May in 18 years. It was even hotter in the northern city of Churu.
The UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has called on governments to consider measures to ensure human safety in the event of a heatwave during the corona crisis.
A spokeswoman emphasized this week that it is one of the hottest years ever recorded.
Measures often taken with a heatwave may be at odds with the best way to prevent the spread of the virus. For example, it can be risky for large numbers of people to cool down in air-conditioned public buildings.
India is not only struggling with the virus outbreak and hot weather, but also with other forms of natural violence.
Cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc in the country last week, and floods currently plague the states of Meghalaya and Assam. Huge flocks of grasshoppers are also home to India.