06/01/2015
Roads melt as deadly temperatures plague India
Roads disintegrated last week as temperatures rose to almost 48C (118.4F) in India's capital Delhi. Some 1,700 people died in one week, and hospitals struggled with the highest number of heat casualties the country has experienced in more than 20 years. The monsoon will soon bring relief from the high temperatures in southern India, but it will not reach the parched north of the country for several weeks.
■Class discussion: Does extremely hot weather kill more people than extremely cold weather? How could climate change affect the numbers of heat- and cold-related deaths? What is the monsoon? How important is it to India? What is El Nino? How can it affect weather in Asia and the American continents?