Heatwave Claims Dozens of Lives in India

The chief medical superintendent of a government hospital in India was removed from their post after linking a large number of patient deaths to a scorching heat wave in the country. Nearly 170 people are reported to have died from conditions aggravated by the heat in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Authorities are investigating why so many of the deaths in Uttar Pradesh occurred in a single district—Ballia—despite surrounding areas experiencing similarly brutal heat and humidity. The facility’s medical chief, Dr. Divakar Singh, was transferred from his post after allegedly blaming the weather for the deaths. Investigators from the state government now say other factors may have played a role in the deaths—though it’s not yet clear what the factors might be.