Latur: In a deeply distressing incident reported from Maharashtra’s Latur district, a nine-month-old infant girl lost her life while resting inside her low-ceiling, tin-roofed house, once again drawing attention to the harsh impact of rising temperatures across the state.
As per a report by NDTV India, the child’s mother was engaged in household work during the afternoon and had placed the baby in a cradle to sleep. With temperatures soaring during the day, the confined tin-roof structure reportedly intensified the heat inside the house. In these extreme conditions, the infant’s throat is believed to have dried up severely, leading to a tragic situation where her tongue got stuck to the roof of her mouth, ultimately resulting in her death.
The heartbreaking incident has sent shockwaves through Gondri village, with residents expressing growing concern over the intensifying heatwave conditions and the lack of adequate measures to address the risks posed by such extreme weather. The tragedy has reignited discussions around housing conditions, climate vulnerability, and the urgent need for effective safeguards, especially for those living in heat-prone structures.
Rising cases of heat related deaths in Maharashtra
In Maharashtra, there has been a sharp rise in heat-related illnesses and deaths. In 2011, the heat-related illness cases were 28, which sharply rose to 773 in 2020. While the deaths due to heat-related causes were four in 2011, which rose to 31 in 2020. The regions where maximum heat-related deaths are recorded in the state are from Marathwada, Vidarbha, and North Maharashtra.
Experts are saying that there needs to be enhanced public awareness and education about symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke, disseminating action plans like change in outdoor working hours, focus on vulnerable groups, and the need for advocacy and pursuance of long-term measures on mitigation of climate change impacts, sustainable development, eco-friendly urban planning, etc.
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