India recorded 84 heatstroke deaths in 2025 summer, true toll likely higher: Report
Experts warn systemic gaps in alerts, diagnosis, and worker protections are masking the true toll of rising heat.
Guwahati, Aug 22: At least 84 people died of heatstroke across India between February and July this year, according to a new analysis that warns the country’s true heat toll is being dangerously undercounted.
The report — Struck by Heat: A News Analysis of Heatstroke Deaths in India in 2025 — released by the non-profit HeatWatch, highlights that diagnostic blind spots, weak enforcement of worker protections, and outdated heatwave alerts are masking the real impact of rising temperatures on human health.
By contrast, data obtained by PTI under the Right to Information (RTI) Act showed the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported 7,192 suspected cases of heatstroke but only 14 confirmed deaths between March 1 and June 24 this year.
State-wise toll
Based on a systematic review of national and regional media reports in multiple languages, HeatWatch found:
Maharashtra recorded the highest deaths (17),
Uttar Pradesh and Telangana (15 each),
Gujarat (10),
Assam (6),
Bihar, Punjab, Rajasthan (5 each),
Odisha (3),
Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh (1 each).
Most victims were the elderly, farmers, daily wage workers, and school children. One of the earliest fatalities was a 13-year-old student in Navi Mumbai, who collapsed on February 26 — underscoring how heatwaves are arriving earlier and lasting longer.
Andhra Pradesh reported the highest number of heat-related illnesses (700), followed by Odisha (348), Rajasthan (344), and Uttar Pradesh (325). Overall, HeatWatch tracked 2,287 heat-related illnesses, though it warned the true number is likely far higher due to widespread underreporting.
India’s fragmented reporting adds to the confusion. Between 2015–2022, the NCDC recorded 3,812 heat-related deaths, while the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported 8,171, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) 3,436 deaths.
However, sespite new forensic guidelines allowing autopsies to classify heatstroke as cause of death, doctors rarely apply them, with many cases attributed instead to dehydration, cardiac arrest, or stroke.
The report also criticised the IMD’s heatwave warning system, which relies mainly on air temperature thresholds, ignoring the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) — a key measure that combines heat and humidity stress. It cited multiple cases of deaths in Telangana, Gujarat, and Maharashtra on days when no official alerts were issued.
Experts demand systemic changes
“India’s heat crisis is structural, not just seasonal. Incremental fixes won’t cut it,” said Apekshita Varshney, Founder of HeatWatch and report co-author.
“We need robust, hyperlocal monitoring, effective early-warning systems, and enforceable worker protections,” she added.
Co-author Shivani Das said: “Recognition of the dangers of rising heat is not enough. What’s missing is a health-centred approach — counting every case, preparing hospitals, protecting workers, and building cooler cities. These systemic steps will truly save lives.”
HeatWatch has urged the government to enact a national heat protection law mandating mid-day work bans, shaded rest areas, hydration access, and legally enforceable work-rest cycles, in line with practices in countries like France, Japan, Singapore, and the UAE.
It also called for a centralised, publicly accessible registry for every heatstroke case, instead of the restricted Integrated Health Information Platform.
Experts, including former WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan, have long cautioned that India is “undercounting heat-related deaths” and that official figures show only the “tip of the iceberg.”
- PTI