“Cover properly, have light color clothes, take umbrella, take care, be in cool area—had they taken such care, this could have been avoided,” said B.R. Meena, a government official in India, regarding the deaths of some 1,400 people due to the ongoing heat wave in the country.
However, for the 270 million Indians who live on less than $1.25 a day, resting in the middle of the day just isn’t an option. While the Indian middle class has been suffering from frequent power outages that cut air conditioning, the poor have faced the brunt of the heat wave.
The heat wave sweeping across India has resulted in temperatures in some parts soaring to 117 degrees Fahrenheit, with even tarred roads melting in the extreme weather.
Around 23 million Indians live on the streets, lacking adequate resources and shelter. Millions of other low-income Indians, including farmers, wage laborers, and street vendors, simply can’t afford not to work to feed their families.
