2015 India heat wave death toll continues to rise each day.
According to reports, at least 2,300 people have already died in the South Asian country, with the number of casualties still expected to increase.
The drought crisis will continue ravaging India as local meteorologists say monsoon rains won't come any time soon.
"The heat wave gripping India has killed 2,330 people, officials announced on Tuesday, as meteorologists warned that monsoon rains could still be days away," CNN wrote Monday regarding the India heat wave crisis.
"The worst-hit state was Andhra Pradesh on the country's southeast coast, where 42 people have died in the past 24 hours. The total toll in that state is now 1,719, according to K. Dhananjaya Reddy, director of the state's disaster management."
While India heat wave death toll has its people panicking, reports emerge that the total number was just fabricated. People are especially doubtful about the death toll in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
A few days ago, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced relatives of the victims will receive 100,000 rupees for reported casualty. This news was first reported by Indian Express Daily. In the wake of this announcement, state disaster chief Jagdish Chandra Sharma claimed India heatwave death toll is so far only at 600.
"It is not possible to confirm about the deaths soon after they are reported; scores of such casualties are taking place everyday ," Sharma said by phone from state capital Hyderabad according to a report by Stuff.co.nz.
From Gulf News, Venkatagiri administrator Y. Maithreya said the procedure in reporting India heat wave victim has been changed. He also said they are now working harder to make sure compensation will go to rightful beneficiaries.
"We have to verify all of this, since the compensation has to reach the right people; not those who have died of natural causes or heart attacks," Maithreya said.
India heat wave crisis started on May 29 with Andhra Pradeesh recording a death toll of 1,490 in just one day. Other areas affected are Telangana, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
