Asia News Wrap: Heat wave kills dozens in India, and more

Here are a few stories from around Asia you may have missed this week.

A prolonged heat wave has killed more than 100 people across India this summer and more than 40,000 suspected heatstroke cases have been recorded, while parts of the country's northeast have grappled with floods from heavy rain, authorities said. Temperatures in north India have soared to almost 50 degrees Celsius in one of the longest heatwave spells recorded.

A Health Ministry official said there were more than 40,000 suspected heatstroke cases and at least 110 confirmed deaths between March 1 and June 18, when northwest and eastern India recorded twice the usual number of heat wave days. India's capital, Delhi, is reeling under a prolonged heat wave that has sent power demand soaring to a record 8,647 megawatts (MW) this week. On Monday, Delhi's international airport witnessed a power outage that lasted several minutes and affected services at terminals after computers and air conditioners shut down.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a "national emergency on population" on Wednesday, rolling out measures to expand cash support for newborn babies and reverse the declining birth rate. "The population crisis caused by extremely low birth rates is the foremost and critical issue for South Korea," Yoon said, adding that the rapid population decline has now become a matter "prompting concerns about the very survival of South Korea."

Yoon made the announcement during a meeting of the Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy, which he chaired, alongside representatives from the Finance Ministry and the Welfare Ministry in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province. In the first quarter, South Korea's fertility rate – the number of children a woman has within her lifetime – hit a record quarterly low of 0.76, and it is projected to drop further to 0.68 in 2024.

Hundreds of pilgrims have died during the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, amid scorching heat. At least 550 people died while on Hajj, diplomats told AFP on Tuesday. A total of 323 of the dead were Egyptians, most of whom perished due to heat-related illnesses, AFP reported, citing two Arab diplomats. The pilgrimage began on Friday.

Saudi state TV said temperatures rose on Monday to as high as 51.8 degrees Celsius in the shade at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. More than 1.8 million pilgrims were expected to take part this year, according to the Saudi government.

Beaches on three Singaporean islands were closed on Sunday after an oil spill spread to several coastlines. The beaches at St John's, Lazarus and Kusu islands were shut after oil slicks were seen at the first two islands. Oil washed up on some of Singapore's beaches after dredger Vox Maxima hit stationary bunker vessel Marine Honour at Pasir Panjang Terminal at about 2:20 p.m. on Friday. This caused oil from a cargo tank on the bunker vessel to spill into the water.

In a joint statement, authorities said the dredger had reported a sudden loss in engine and steering control before it hit the bunker vessel. This caused a rupture of the vessel's oil cargo tank and its contents of low-sulphur fuel oil were released into the sea. Singapore Port Authority patrol craft were deployed to spray dispersants on the spill. Members of the public were advised to keep away from the affected beaches as clean-up operations are underway.

Torrential rainfall across southern parts of China has caused severe flooding and landslides, with heavy precipitation set to continue through the week as local authorities respond to the impact.

The National Meteorological Center renewed a yellow alert for rainstorms across parts of Jiangsu, Anhui, Shanghai, Zhe gian g, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Guangxi and Guangdong for Wednesday and Thursday.

China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. Authorities have allocated 916 million yuan (about $126 million) to flood and drought response work in the country's southern and northern regions and to support disaster relief efforts, the Ministry of Finance said on Wednesday.

(Cover: Visitors cover their heads with cloth to protect them from the heat on a hot day at Red Fort in New Delhi, India on June 18, 2024. /CFP)