Textile mill worker dies after ‘suspected heat stroke’; Surat hospitals set up special wards

Surat has been witnessing high temperatures in the past couple of days, nearly seven degrees higher than normal, although the temperatures fell drastically on Wednesday.

A police team reached the hospital after learning about the incident and informed the deceased’s older brother, Kundankumar. The post-mortem examination was done on Wednesday and the body was handed to his family members for the final rites.

Sachin GIDC police inspector K A Gohil said, “The deceased was walking home and fell on the road in broad daylight near his house in Bhupat Residency. We spoke to the doctors at NCH, who said the cause of death could be heatstroke. Our police team has taken statements from people near the spot where he fell down on the road at Paligam. We have registered an accidental death case and started a probe.”

On May 11 and 12, Surat, which is a coastal city was 6.8 degrees higher than the normal maximum temperature, blazing at 42.2 degrees Celsius  (°C). The last time the city crossed 40°C was on May 5 last year but dropped by three degrees on May 13.

On May 12, the highest temperatures in the state were recorded in Surendranagar and Amreli at 44.5°C –  2.7 and 3.7 degrees above the normal temperature, respectively.

Regarding these peculiar weather conditions, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Ahmedabad director A K Das told The Indian Express, “Surat’s situation is a result of the wind pattern. The heat wave is affected by the wind pattern as westerly to northerly winds blowing along the coastal areas near Surat resulted in high temperatures. Whenever there is a northerly wind component, there will be more heat. That is why IMD declared a heat wave for Surat from May 9 till 12. From today (May 13), the temperatures are falling in Surat.”

On Wednesday, the maximum temperature in Surat drastically fell to 34.3°C, 1.1 degrees below the normal temperature.

Gujarat will face heat wave conditions until Friday with Kutch and Surendranagar under an orange alert, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has cautioned.

As per the Surat weather department, on Tuesday the maximum temperature recorded was 42.2°C while the minimum was 28.2°C. Correspondingly in 2025 the temperature on the same day was 36.3°C (maximum) and 28.2 °C (minimum, while in 2024 the temperature on the same day was 37.2 °C (maximum) and 28.5°C (minimum).

Sources in the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC)-run SMIMER hospital said that last year, four-five people died due to heat-related issues in the hospital.

This year, the SMIMER hospital and NCH authorities created a separate ward for patients with symptoms of heat stroke. NCH has made a ward with 10 beds, while SMIMER hospital has made 25-bed facilities with a bath-tub, cooler, air conditioning, etc. Daily, around 10 patients with heatstroke symptoms are treated at NCH, and around eight at SMIMER hospital.

Talking to The Indian Express, the SMC’s medical officer, Dr Pradeep Umrigar said, “With the rise in the temperature this year, we have taken preventive steps so that fewer people are affected by heat stroke. People most at risk of heatstroke include those staying on footpaths. We have started a drive in which over 1,400 people staying on the paths have been shifted to SMC shelter homes. Those who do not want to go to Shelter homes have been made aware of preventive steps they should take to stay hydrated. Our teams have also shared details about the symptoms of heat stroke to them.”

He added, “At 155 BRTS bus stops in the city, we have made arrangements of cold water and oral rehydration solution. Apart from this, we have created temporary sheds on the traffic signal points in the city. The highly exposed people at risk of heat stroke are construction workers, so we have informed the supervisors and builders of the construction site to make arrangements for ORS solution and clean drinking water at the construction site.”

Dr Umarigar further added, “We have appealed to the general public that children, pregnant women, and elderly people should avoid going out unnecessarily during the afternoon, to get rid of heat stroke.”

Gujarat government issues advisory

The Gujarat government alerted citizens to not take the red alert lightly. “The chances of heat stroke are highest at this time”, it said, asking people to stay hydrated and protected.

The case of Surat — Since 1901

On June 10,1901 and April 5,1951 along with May 1,1956 Surat recorded 45.6 degree Celsius-the highest maximum temperatures recorded in these summer months since 1901.