(New Delhi) A months-long heatwave across large parts of India has killed more than 100 people and given rise to more than 40,000 suspected cases of heatstroke over the past three and a half months, according to data from the Indian Ministry of Health.
Between March 1 and June 18, 110 people died in India from heatstroke, according to Health Ministry data provided to The Associated Press. Officials at India’s health ministry and its subsidiary body, the National Center for Disease Control, which compiled the figures, declined to comment.
The highest number of deaths at 36 were reported in the state of Uttar Pradesh, followed by other northern states, including Rajasthan, Bihar and Odisha, which were worst hit by these extreme weather conditions. The data also showed that of the 40,272 suspected heatstroke cases during that period, 457 were reported on Tuesday.
The capital, New Delhi, was also hit by extreme heat, although brief rain and wind Thursday morning cooled temperatures after the city experienced its hottest night in more than five decades earlier this week. The country’s weather service expects some respite from the heat over the coming days, but said extreme weather conditions could persist afterward.
India declares a heatwave whenever temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius in the plains and 30 degrees Celsius or more in its hilly regions.
In recent weeks, parts of the capital have reported temperatures of up to 51C, triggering record demand for electricity and leading to frequent power outages in the city, which is also grappling with a severe crisis some water.
Parts of northern India, where rising temperatures have broken records, have also been forced to close their schools due to the heat.
Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Wednesday ordered authorities to set up special heatwave units in federal public hospitals to help patients who fall ill due to the heat.
More intense heat than before
The main summer months – April, May and June – are still hot in most parts of India before monsoon rains bring cooler temperatures.
However, the heat has become more intense over the past decade and is typically accompanied by severe water shortages, with tens of millions of India’s 1.4 billion people lacking access to water. running water.
Climate experts also say that extreme heat in South Asia during the pre-monsoon season is becoming more common. A study by the World Weather Attribution, a climate impact monitoring agency, found that a scorching April heatwave in parts of Asia was made at least 45 times more likely in parts of the continent due to climate change.
This year’s heatwave, which has lasted for more than three weeks, is likely one of the longest continuous heatwaves the country has ever experienced, according to the Indian Meteorological Agency.
Last year, more than 150 people died in India during heatwaves. The government estimates that nearly 11,000 people have died from heat waves this century, but experts say those numbers are likely grossly underestimated because the lack of an effective system for documenting illnesses and heat-related deaths remain a major problem.
“We don’t classify and measure deaths as much as we should and that’s one of the reasons why heat-related deaths are difficult to count,” said Dileep Mavalankar, former director of the Indian Institute health center in Gandhinagar.
Mr. Mavalankar was instrumental in developing India’s first heat action plan for the city of Ahmedabad in 2013, three years after more than 1,300 people died there during a heatwave .
Many heat deaths are also counted as deaths due to other co-morbidities, according to Mr. Mahalankar.
“Not only during heatwaves, but even in general, we need to do a better job of counting deaths. This is the only way to know the severity of the consequences of extreme heat,” he argued.
India, the world’s most populous country and one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, is among the most vulnerable to climate impacts. A report by the New Delhi-based Center for Science and Environment reveals that the country experienced extreme weather almost 90% of the time last year.
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