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

India's weather department has issued heatwave warnings in parts of northern India. In photos: North India braces for heatwaves as temperatures cross 40C Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. A woman in Delhi covers her head with a cloth to protect herself from the sun 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. 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. Summers can be deadly in India, where the scorching heat causes various heat-related ailments in people and has Tourists in Delhi wear hats and scarves to shield themselves from the heat Visitors are seen protecting themselves from the sun on a hot summer day outside Humayun's Tomb on April 21, 2026 in New Delhi, India. College students eat ice creams to cool down on a hot day People step out on a hot afternoon near north campus Delhi University, on April 19, 2026 in New Delhi, India. 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 vendor selling clothes on a street in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi city wears a cap to protect himself from the sun A vendor selling clothes, caps and other accessories waits for customers at his roadside stall on a hot summer day in Varanasi on April 18, 2026. Residents of a slum in Delhi collect water from a municipal tanker to tide over water shortage in the area Residents of a slum cluster collect water from a municipal tanker of the Delhi Jal Board on a hot summer day as the water crisis continues at Sanjay Camp Chanakya Puri on April 21, 2026 in New Delhi, India. 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. 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. A man eats ice-cream while taking shelter under a roadside stall on a hot summer day in Varanasi A man eats ice-cream while taking shelter under a roadside stall on a hot summer day in Varanasi on April 23, 2026 Women walk through a cloud of dust on a hot, sunny day in Bihar's Patna city Women facing heat wave during a hot summer day at Digha Ghat on April 12, 2026 in Patna, India. Prolonged exposure to extreme heat can be dangerous for children and adults Visitors seen using umbrellas to protect themselves from sun on hot summer day outside Lotus temple, on April 17, 2026 in New Delhi, India. At least 15 people have died after a train crashed into the female-only carriage of a commuter train in Bekasi. These robots may in future help clean cabins and operate ground support equipment. Tokyo had warned that installing the structure in Auckland could jeopardise diplomatic relations. Prada had faced backlash last year after it showcased similar designs at a fashion show without acknowledging their Indian roots. The defences are the latest ones to be privately funded by residents of the purpose-built coastal village. With Rai's passing, India has lost a visual historian who was a chronicler of its most defining and often painful moments. Tuna populations around the Pacific Islands could move away as ocean temperatures increase. One of the UK's largest chicken producers and a water company accused of polluting three rivers including the River Wye