A forest official reported on Tuesday ( Jun 4 ) that dozens of monkeys in India’s heatwave-hit state of Pania have drowned in a well.
Since last quarter, a heat wave has gripped parts of northern India, with temperatures reaching over 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
A court in India last year urged the government to consider a national disaster in response to the ongoing heat, citing the death of hundreds of people during the severe weather.
The temperature is also hitting animals, with creatures searching for liquid in villages.
Almost 40 monkeys perished in the well in the northeast Jharkhand state of Palamu, where rivers have dried out in the warmth, according to locals.
Kumar Ashish, the local government jungle officer, said the army had jumped in but could not avoid.
” A group of forest authorities are investigating”, Ashish told AFP, adding that they were awaiting post- death benefits.
India is no stranger to scorching summer temperature, but years of scientific studies have revealed that climate change is making heatwaves last long, last longer, and last longer.
According to researchers, human-induced climate change has caused India’s devastating heat effects, and this should be taken as a warning.