Extreme heatwaves: Indians struggle and suffer from water shortages

In late April, 98 of the world’s 100 hottest cities were located in India. From mid-April to May 2026, daily maximum temperatures exceeded 46°C across large parts of the country. During extreme heat, lack of access to cooling can mean the difference between life and death in the world’s most populous country. While government data puts the heatwave death toll at 37, social activists say that figure falls far short of the reality faced by people forced to work in scorching temperatures. The heat stress has also been compounded by acute water shortages in several parts of India. FRANCE 24’s Navodita Kumari and Fantine Dantzer report.