May-June 2015: HEAT WAVE IN INDIA

Heat waves are infrequently noticed or remembered in history. It is the nature of the heat wave to kill silently and slowly with no physical manifestation.
Very often a heat wave hits the old and young but it is especially impactful on the working poor or homeless, people with poor health, living conditions, working conditions and diet.
A month-long, record heat wave hit India from May 21-June 19, 2015. National temperatures reached highs of 113F (45C) to 131F (55C).
The intense weather pattern was caused by a combination of the pre-monsoon season and the global, El Nino effect. The two combined to produce extremely high humid temperatures throughout the day and into the night.
This was the fourth time India has had a heat wave so significant that it resulted in a significant international death toll.
As a whole, the country of India do not take any preparatory measures to deal with the impending, lasting heat that is an annual occurrence. The country did take measures to deal with the heat when the death tolls began to rise over 1000.

Death and Injury

The heat wave claimed 2500 lives in India and resulted in power outages. It was so hot that the streets in New Delhi were melting and the lines on the roadways were curling.
Many homeless people couldn't stay inside because they had to work, and people waited and slept outside hospitals for days waiting for care while emergency cases were taken as priority.
The government does not seem to see the monetary benefits nor the social, political, humane, or psychological benefits to creating a heat preparation plan.

During a heat wave, the people of India may experience a number of psychological effects, including increased aggression and violent suicides, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and adjustment disorder.
In the case where the season is anticipated to be a regular event, coupled with the loss of neighbors and loved ones, people may chose to relocate, and this can cause acculturation issues, joblessness, or other heightened symptoms.