A "severe heatwave" is gripping northern and central India as temperatures have crossed the 50-degree-Celsius mark in some areas. The Indian Meteorological Department has issued an "Extreme Weather Event" warning with local media reporting on Friday that 17 people had died in three weeks. Of the 15 hottest places in the world on Sunday, eight were in India. Experts predict that the situation could worsen as India also continues to go through its second lowest pre-monsoon rainfall in 65 years.