Eating onions, lying in the shade and splashing into rivers, Indians were doing whatever they could on Thursday to stay cool during a brutal heat wave that has killed more than 1,400 in the past month.

Meteorological officials said the heat would probably last several more days - scorching crops, killing wildlife and endangering anyone laboring outdoors.

Officials warned people to stay out of the sun, cover their heads and drink plenty of water, but poverty forces many Indians to work despite the risks.