33 Indians died as a result of heatstroke. The tragedy happened on June 1 - the last day of the parliamentary elections in India, which are likely to be won by the party of the current Prime Minister Modi, reported AFP. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that temperatures in Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh reached 46.9 °C. Navdeep Rinva, chief electoral officer in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, said 33 polling staff had died due to the heat. "The families of the dead will be given a monetary compensation of $18,000," Rinwa said. Experts say that when a person is dehydrated, extreme heat exposure thickens their blood and causes organs to shut down. Rinva reported a separate incident in which a man queuing to vote in Ballia town lost consciousness while waiting in the queue. India is no stranger to hot summer temperatures. But for years, scientific research has shown that climate change is causing heat waves to become longer, more frequent and more intense. Incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi looks set for a third consecutive election victory after voting closes on June 1. Exit polls showed him on course to triumph, and Modi himself was sure he had won. The results will be officially announced on June 4. |BGNES