Families in Ghaziabad, a city in Uttar Pradesh near Delhi, are being forced to live in darkness as extreme heatwaves cause blackouts in northwestern India.

Temperatures of over 45 degrees Celsius in Jharkhand, Bihar, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh have caused a surge in power demand, causing some areas to experience power cuts.

Footage from May 4 shows a family relying on candlelight as they combat the sweltering 46 degrees Celsius heat.

States across India are also facing a coal shortage, forcing power plants to shut.

After an emergency meeting, Indian Railways cancelled over 650 passenger trains to allow for the faster movement of coal carriages.

Amidst the advancing temperatures reported across India, several states like Jharkhand, Bihar, Punjab, and union territory Delhi are currently undergoing power cuts. Owing to heatwaves, there has been a surge in demand for power in the nation but since the power plants are not functioning up to full potential, the demands are not fulfilled. It is pertinent to mention here that due to the ongoing Ukraine war, the price of imported coal has soared, resulting in a shortage of coal. States in India also facing an "acute shortage" of coal, forcing many power plants to shut and the state governments are claiming many power plants are left with a day's stock and warning of supply disruptions in the city.

After an emergency meeting, Indian Railways has canceled over 650 passenger trains to allow for faster movement of coal carriages as the nation scrambles to replenish depleting inventories at power plants in a bid to avoid a full-blown power crisis. The Railways has also planned to increase the passage of coal rakes over the next two months. Meanwhile, Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission(DERC) also held an emergency meeting with various power agencies and announced various steps to mitigate the situation.