With a mounting number of COVID dead, cremation sites at India’s holiest city, Varanasi, now resemble a war zone.

Workers gather firewood, place bodies of the deceased on them and set them on fire, the preferred method of cremation for most Hindus.

A video shot on April 18 shows several bodies burning at the same time both inside the main cremation building and on the riverfront outside.

As soon as a body is cremated, the vacated spot is quickly replenished with more firewood, a new deceased and another set of grieving kin.

Indian governments have been accused of systematically undercounting COVID victims.

Media estimates state that two popular cremation sites at Varanasi are on average disposing off 150 bodies a day, 10 times the earlier count.

Though all deaths are not due to COVID, the pandemic is responsible for most, according to local media.

India has been recording more than 300,000 COVID cases a day, the highest in the world.

Uttar Pradesh, where Varanasi is situated, is a major contributor.

With a mounting number of Covid dead, cremation sites at India’s holiest city, Varanasi, resemble a war zone.

Workers gather firewood, place bodies of the deceased on them and set them on fire, the preferred way to cremate for most Hindus.

A video shot on April 18 shows several bodies burning at the same time both inside the main cremation building and on the riverfront outside. As soon as a body is cremated, the vacated spot is quickly replenished with more firewood, a new deceased and another set of grieving kin.

Indian governments have been accused of systematically undercounting Covid victims. Media estimates state that two popular cremation sites at Varanasi are on an average disposing off 150 bodies a day, 10 times the earlier count.

Though all deaths are not due to Covid, the pandemic has claimed the most of them.

Relatives may wait, with the deceased, up to 24 hours for their turn to come and then pay over Rs 30,000 to cremate their dead, up from the earlier cost of Rs 3,000.

India has been recording over 300,000 Covid cases a day, the highest in the world. Uttar Pradesh, where Varanasi is situated, is a major contributor.