India faces a severe heatwave with 99 deaths in Odisha, unprecedented temperatures in Delhi, and a water crisis, prompting urgent measures and a forecast for slight relief.

The blaze was the fourth such incident in the last one month, as Delhi’s landfills are catching fire due to heavy build up of methane between the layers of millions of tonnes of garbage and high temperatures the city. Local residents said small fires keep erupting in the huge mountain of waste, but they have not seen such a massive one that broke out on Tuesday night.

Delhi reeled under a 'severe heatwave' on the day of Holi, as the maximum temperature shot up to 40.1 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest day in March in 76 years, the India Meteorological Department said on Monday.

Air quality index at 12 times US government-recommended level and visibility low