Tragic Heatwave in Delhi Claims Life of Bihar Man Amidst Severe Crisis, Dies in '107 Degree' Fever!

Heatwave in Delhi takes Toll as Bihar Man Succumbs to Heat in Delhi Hospital, Fever Soars to 107 Degrees!

New Delhi, India: The relentless heatwave engulfing the national capital has claimed its first victim this summer. A 40-year-old man from Darbhanga, Bihar, succumbed to heatstroke at Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. He was admitted late Monday night after experiencing severe symptoms exacerbated by the sweltering conditions.

According to medical staff, the deceased was living in a room devoid of any cooling devices such as a fan or air cooler. The attending doctor revealed that his body temperature had alarmingly soared to 107 degrees Fahrenheit, a critical level that far exceeds the normal human body temperature by almost 10 degrees. This tragic incident underscores the severe impact of the ongoing heatwave, which has turned Delhi into a furnace.

Delhi is currently grappling with a summer nightmare, marked by unprecedented temperatures, soaring power demand, and an acute water shortage. The Mungeshpur weather station, located on the outskirts of the city, recorded a staggering temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius, the highest ever recorded at any weather station in India. This record-breaking temperature is now under scrutiny by the weather office to determine whether it was a result of sensor malfunction or specific local conditions.

Tragic Heatwave in Delhi: Bihar Man’s Fever Hits 107 Degrees, Dies in Delhi Hospital

M Mohapatra, Director General of the India Meteorological Department, stated that out of the 20 monitoring stations in Delhi, 14 reported a slight dip in temperatures yesterday, with the citywide average hovering between 45-50 degrees Celsius. He noted that the Mungeshpur station’s reading is an outlier and requires further verification.

Despite these discrepancies, the harsh reality remains that Delhi’s residents are enduring an extreme heatwave. Compounding their misery is a severe water crisis. Various areas in the capital, including Geeta Colony and parts of Chanakyapuri, are heavily reliant on water tankers due to insufficient supply. The Aam Aadmi Party government has accused Haryana of withholding Delhi’s rightful share of Yamuna water, exacerbating the crisis.

Visuals captured by news agency ANI depict desperate scenes of people crowding around water tankers, jostling to collect their daily water supply. Vinay, a resident, expressed his frustration, stating, “The tanker comes daily, but we are only getting half a tanker for 3,000-4,000 people. In this heat, we need water, but there isn’t enough.”

In Sangam Vihar, residents have resorted to paying exorbitant amounts, between ₹ 1,000 and ₹ 1,250, to fill small tanks from water tankers. Videos shared by IANS show people clambering onto tankers in Chanakyapuri, desperate to secure water for their families.
The Delhi government has urged residents to conserve water and use it judiciously. They have deployed 200 teams to identify and penalize instances of water wastage. Activities such as washing cars with hosepipes, overflowing water tanks, and using drinking water for commercial purposes now attract a fine of ₹ 2,000.

Meanwhile, the intense heat has led to a surge in power demand as people stay indoors and air-conditioners run continuously. Yesterday, Delhi’s power consumption hit a record high of 8,302 MW. This marked the twelfth consecutive day when the city’s power demand exceeded the 7,000 MW threshold. According to a BSES spokesperson, the BRPL and BYPL discoms successfully managed to meet the heightened power demand.

In the face of this severe heatwave and its accompanying challenges, Delhi’s residents continue to battle the extreme conditions with resilience. The authorities are working to mitigate the impacts, but the city’s infrastructure is being pushed to its limits. This summer has highlighted the urgent need for long-term solutions to address the growing challenges posed by climate change and urban resource management.