heatstroke
11 die of heatstroke at award event in India's Maharashtra
Eleven people died from heatstroke, and many more were hospitalized after attending an awards event in India's Maharashtra state on Sunday (April 17, 2023).
The government-sponsored event lasted several hours and was held in an open field under the scorching sun, reports BBC.
Thousands of people attended the event to honor a notable social activist, it said.
Following the event, several attendees complained of dehydration and other heat-related problems.
Read more: Heat Stroke Prevention: Best foods, drinks to avoid heat exhaustion
On Sunday, the highest temperature in Navi Mumbai, a city near Mumbai's financial hub, reached 38 degrees Celsius. Health experts have recommended that people stay out of the sun from 11 am to 4 pm, especially during April, which is one of the hottest months in India.
Photos from the event showed thousands of people sitting straight in the sun, with no canopy or covering to provide shade.
Officials told the media that refreshments were served at the location throughout the day, and booths were set up to offer people medical treatment, but opposition parties said the event was mismanaged and that it should not have been hosted at this time of year, the report said.
The event was held on the grounds of the Kharghar International Corporate Park to honor social worker Dattatreya Narayan Dharmadhikari, also known as Appasaheb Dharmadhikari.
Read More: Heat Stroke: Symptoms, First Aid, and Prevention
The incident was described as "unexpected and painful" by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who awarded Rs 5 lakh in compensation to the relatives of each of the deceased. He stated that the government will offer free medical treatment to anyone who became ill during the event.
5 die in stampede, heatstroke at Banglabazar ferry terminal
Amid mad rush of homebound people ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, five people died in stampede and heatstroke at Banglabazar ferry terminal on Wednesday.
Banglabazar Traffic Police Inspector Ashikur Rahman said a teenage boy was killed in a stampede while getting off Shah Paran ferry.
The deceased was identified as Anchur,15, son of Giasuddin Madbor of Noria upazila of Shariatpur.
Also read: Covid-19 claims 40 more lives, infects 1,144 others
Four others died due to heatstroke and stampede while boarding off Enayetpuri ferry at the same terminal, he said.
Sources said that lakhs of people have crossed the Padma River on ferries since morning. All the 17 ferries are operating to cater to the mad rush of homebound people.
Some 800 vehicles and 10,000 people have crossed the river till Wednesday noon, officials said.
Also read: BGB deployed on Paturia-Daulatdia, Shimulia-Banglabazar routes
Authorities, meanwhile, claimed that people will not face any difficulties in crossing rivers as ferry services are available.
The UNB correspondent found hundreds of people reaching the Daulatdia-Paturia ghat in the afternoon on foot, in rickshaws and other vehicles, defying all the lockdown norms.
Police have installed a number of check-posts on the highway, including Barbaria, Singair and Dhalla areas. Though the cops forced many vehicles coming from other districts to return, passengers were quick to get off the vehicles and head towards the ferry ghat on foot.
Also read: Mad rush of homebound people at Paturia terminal
Ferry services on Paturia-Daulatdia and Shimulia-Banglabazar routes were suspended to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) said the decision to suspend ferry services on the two busy water routes, with effect from Saturday morning, was taken in the wake of the ongoing second wave of coronavirus.
But the mad rush of homebound people forced them to resume the ferry services.