The intense heat wave continues to grip vast regions of India, with temperatures hitting a peak of 48 degrees Celsius in Barmer, Rajasthan, marking the country's highest recorded temperature this year. On Wednesday, the Yamuna River's water levels in Delhi decreased significantly due to the severe heat, impacting the water supply significantly. Concurrently, the city experienced unprecedented power demands, reaching 8,000 megawatts as cooling appliances operated non-stop. According to official reports, no fewer than 24 locations across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh saw temperatures exceed 45 degrees Celsius on that day.
Apart from Barmer's peak of 48 degrees Celsius, other regions also recorded soaring temperatures: Churu at 47.4 degrees, Phalodi at 47.8 degrees, and Jaisalmer at 47.2 degrees. Temperatures in various other cities were also notably high, including 45 degrees in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, 44.8 degrees in Akola, Maharashtra, and upwards of 45 degrees in several other locations.
The weather outlook is grim, with the India Meteorological Department predicting a temperature increase of three to four degrees across northwest India in the coming days. A red warning has been issued for Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and western Uttar Pradesh, indicating a high risk of heat-related illnesses and heatstroke for all age groups. The department also noted that warm night conditions could aggravate heat stress in the aforementioned regions over the next four days.
Urban areas, in particular, are experiencing higher night temperatures due to the urban heat island effect, which makes metropolitan regions significantly warmer than their rural counterparts. This relentless heat is not only straining electrical grids but also drying up reservoirs, leading to drought-like conditions in some areas. The Central Water Commission reported that the water levels in 150 major reservoirs are at their lowest in five years, critically affecting both water supply and hydropower generation.
The ongoing heat wave poses a significant threat especially to outdoor workers, the elderly, and children, who are particularly vulnerable to heat exhaustion and heatstroke. The World Health Organization has documented over 166,000 deaths worldwide due to heatwaves between 1998 and 2017, with India alone reporting 3,812 heat-related deaths from 2015 to 2022. The economic impact is also severe, with the World Bank warning that India could see 34 million of the 80 million global job losses by 2030 due to heat-related productivity declines. Additionally, the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that India could lose up to 4.5 percent of its GDP by the end of this decade due to heat stress, translating to a financial loss of approximately USD 150-250 billion.
Comentarios