Residents of India’s capital, Delhi, sweat through intense heat as record-breaking heat waves cause temperatures to soar above 50C. Scientists warn that these numbers are a result of exasperating climate change beyond limits, and are extremely harmful for the world’s most populous country. Moreover, it has also been reported that a 40-year old laborer died of a heatstroke on Wednesday.
The temperature came from a substation in Mungeshpur, a neighborhood in Delhi. The capital region New Delhi, which houses more than 30 million people, recorded temperatures that reached an all-time high over this week. The heat waves have also spread towards other nearby regions, with nearby states such as Haryana (50.3 degree celsius) and Rajasthan (50.5 degree celsius) reporting similar temperatures. These regions have been advised to avoid heat exposure by the Indian Meteorological Department, who have issued “red-alerts”. These “red-alerts” are used when conditions of extreme heat persist for more than two days.
Government Response
The Indian Meteorological Department has issued warnings in these regions. These alerts advise people to “take action”, and calls for “extreme care” for vulnerable populations. Delhi’s lieutenant governor has directed the Government to establish measures for the safety of laborers by providing water, shaded areas in construction sites, and paid leave from noon till 3:00pm.
Moreover, the heat this year has coincided with the general election, as rallies continue to take place despite the weather. In Delhi, authorities warned that the region was amid an acute water shortage, accusing the neighboring state of Haryana for restricting access to water supply from Yamuna river. Delhi’s water minister, Atishi Marlena, stated that officials would impose fines of Rs2,000 ($24) on construction sites if found to use domestic water supplies illegally.
The Effects of Climate Change in India
Climate Change analysts warn that these rising temperatures pose a major health hazard for residents of the country. The capital territory of Delhi has already borne witness to its first heat-related death this week. said Abhiyant Tiwari, an India-based climate analyst at the non-profit Natural Resources Defense Council says “This is like wartime. We need to work on this issue throughout the year to better prepare our systems and our policies.”
A study released by World Weather Attribution on extreme weather has stated that the issue of climate change has amplified the severity of an already strong heat wave. Another study by the journal, Environment International, estimated that these heat waves could lead to 1,116 annually across 10 major cities in India. Raghu Murtugudde, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Technology Mumbai, told CBS News, “I think it’s a mix of El Niño, global warming and the seasonality,” Murtugudde said. “El Niño is transitioning to La Niña. This is the time when the maximum warming happens towards the Indian Ocean. So, all these things are basically adding steroids to the weather.”
The steady increase in heat events could pose a risk to India’s development, and could lead to reverse in the progress it has made on alleviation of poverty, health, infrastructure, and economic growth.
