Heat wave (illustration)
Heat wave (illustration)Yonatan Sindel/Flash 90

While Israel may be coping with a heat wave of its own on Wednesday, it pales in comparison to the lethal heat that has been suffocating India in recent days, leaving no less than 1,154 people dead from the brutal temperatures.

Andhra Pradesh state on the southeastern coast of the country has seen 884 deaths, a majority of the toll inflicted by the sweltering heat, reports CNN.

Another 266 died in Telangana in the south, where Hyderabad is the capital. Four more deaths were confirmed in Odisha, in addition to 67 unconfirmed fatalities.

Most of the deaths have come due to dehydration or heat stroke, with the victims comprising India's poorer class who do not have the means to get out of the heat and get relief from the lethal sun rays.

Just how hot has it gotten?

In Titlagarh in the state of Odisha on Monday India reached its highest maximum temperature at a whopping 47.6 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit).

The heat spell is still in full swing, with Hyderabad set to reach 43 C (over 109 F) on Wednesday. Humidity has been around 30% during the day, adding a cloying oppressiveness to the heat. Nights have offered little reprieve, with temperatures staying around 30 C (86 F).

However, the worst of the heat is expected to break later this week as monsoon rains wash over India.

That relief will only be temporary though, with India's weather agency predicting that another hot wave is likely to follow in the footsteps of the current one.