Hundreds of mainly poor people die at the height of summer annually in India, but temperatures have risen earlier than normal, increasing concerns about this year's overall toll. Last year, more than 2,000 people died from heat related issues.
Schools across the eastern state of Orissa are closed through next week due to the extreme heat wave.
Protests over lack of water
Meanwhile, protests have been held further north over the lack of drinking water.
South of Orissa, in Andhra Pradesh, officials are distributing free water and butter milk, and encouraging people to stay inside during the hottest times of the day.
Earlier this month, a court in the western state of Maharashtra ordered the Indian Premier League to move 13 cricket matches out of the area because there wasn’t enough water to maintain the fields.
The government has also asked local municipalities to stop supplying water to swimming pools.