British humanitarian organisations have issued an urgent appeal for Delhi’s most vulnerable residents, as the Indian capital endures a sustained heatwave pushing temperatures beyond 45 degrees Celsius. The extreme weather, which began three weeks ago, has overwhelmed the city’s fragile infrastructure, leaving millions of slum dwellers and daily wage labourers without access to adequate water, shelter, or medical care. Aid groups, including Oxfam, Save the Children, and the British Red Cross, are coordinating a joint response to provide emergency cooling centres, hydration stations, and mobile health units.
The appeal follows a sharp rise in heat-related fatalities, with local hospitals reporting over 200 deaths in the past week alone. Many victims are migrants who live in makeshift homes with no electricity or running water. “These are people who cannot afford fans, let alone air conditioning,” said a spokesperson for the British Red Cross.
“The heat is not just uncomfortable; it is lethal.” The campaign aims to raise £5 million in the next 72 hours to deploy resources to the worst-affected districts. The Indian government has activated its heat action plan, but experts argue the measures are insufficient for the scale of the crisis.
The British Foreign Office has confirmed it is in discussion with Indian authorities to ensure aid supplies are distributed efficiently.
