The prayers of the millions who have been suffering from the deadly heat wave in India have finally been answered, even temporarily, as monsoon rains are expected to visit the parched country by the end of the week.
More than 1,400 people have died because of the heat, official sources in India said. In one recent case, an elderly father lost his 38-year-old son to heat stroke after the latter went outside to buy him medicine.
The past 10 days have been exceptionally hot even in India, one of the world's hottest places. Temperatures rose as high as 47 degrees Celsius (116.6 Fahrenheit) in the eastern states of Jharkhand and Odisha. Some roads melted because of the heat, discouraging commuters to drive.
Many possible factors contributed to the heat, one of which is climate change, according to Benjamin Cook, a research scientist with the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. However, it has yet to be known through research how much the phenomenon is affecting conditions in India.
Another factor is the hot and dry winds from Pakistan and north-western India, which scorch the region, explained CNN meteorologist Monica Garrett. That translates to low air moisture.
Also, geographically, India's high mountains prevent cool air from the northeast, she added.
Two-thirds of the country's 1.2-billion people also lack access to electricity.
Although neighbouring Pakistan and Afghanistan also have soaring temperatures, the situation has been far worse in India because of its many densely packed areas.
To help commuters survive the killer heat, water camps have been opened.
Unfortunately, for a country that is used to heat waves which killed hundreds in 2002 and 2003, India is in for more rough summers, based on studies. May is usually India's hottest month, with temperatures reaching around 40 degree Celsius (104 to 105 Fahrenheit). India's southern part, which has mostly been spared from the heat, is expected to suffer from the heat wave this time.
Even with the start of the monsoon season, some parts of India are expected to be struck by heat waves that could last for up to 30 days.
The intensity of the heat in the worst-hit states of Andra Pradesh and Telangana is now expected to be felt across most of India.
