In photos: North India braces for heatwaves as temperatures cross 40C

India's weather department has said that parts of northern India, including capital Delhi, are likely to experience heatwaves over the weekend.

The warning came after temperatures crossed 40C in some parts of Delhi on Thursday, making it one of the city's hottest days this year.

The weather department has also warned of above normal temperatures in some states in central and western India, including Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, for the next two to three days.

Summers can be deadly in India, where the scorching heat causes various heat-related ailments in people and has even resulted in deaths.

On Friday, the weather department said that temperatures in northern and central India are likely to increase by another 2-3C.

Earlier this week, Delhi's education department issued guidelines to schools to deal with adverse weather conditions.

It asked schools to stop open-air classes and to curtail outdoor assemblies or to conduct them indoors. It also advised ringing a bell every 45-60 minutes to remind children to drink water.

A 2024 report by the medical journal Lancet found that almost one-third of the heatwave days India experienced that year were driven by climate change.

It also estimated that heat exposure in 2024 resulted in the loss of 247 billion potential labour hours, mostly in the agriculture and construction sectors. amounting to an economic loss of about $194bn (£151bn).

Experts say prolonged exposure to extreme heat has serious repercussions on health. It can overwhelm the body's ability to regulate temperature, increasing the risk of dehydration, heatstroke, cardiovascular stress, and even death - particularly among the elderly, infants and outdoor workers.