- The Indian citizens are quite familiar with the regular weather patterns around the year, with seasons divided into summer, monsoon/rainy, and winter months. People inhabiting the northern, western, central, and eastern parts of the region are used to experiencing extreme weather conditions year-round. Except for a couple of states down south, southern India is blessed with moderate temperatures around the year, making life that much more comfortable. However, people in northern, western, and central India experience extreme weather conditions, making lifehugely challenging. The most dreaded months must be summer, when the rising temperatures completely render our productivity take a severe beating courtesy of excruciating heat.
PC: YouTube
- As reported, the whole of India is in the severe grip of heat waves, singeing the country mercilessly in the last few weeks. The debilitating consequences of rising temperatures are hurting people’s health, learning, and productivity big-time. Make no mistake, this is a drag on the economy, but there’s no easy fix, as we will have to find out different strategies for each micro-region to address the debilitating heat waves. Note that all 50 of the world’s hottest cities last week morning werein India, as a brutal heatwave tightened its grip across north, central, western, and eastern parts of the country, pushing temperatures well above 40 degrees Celsius even before noon. The rankings painted a startling picture of the scale of the ongoing heatwave.
PC: The Federal
- Most worryingly, more than half the cities in the list were from Uttar Pradesh alone, with places such as Varanasi, Banda, Bareilly, and Ayodhya recording temperatures between 42 and 43 Degrees Celsius before midday. In fact, Banda was recorded at a sizzling 48 Degrees Celsius, making it the hottest place on Earth. The India Meteorological Department has already warned that heatwave and severe heatwave conditions are likely to continue across northwest and central India through the week, with red and orange alerts issued in several states. It makes one wonder, apart from conventional national security threats from across our borders and within, an equally serious, and far less visible threat is intensifying in the background: extreme heat.
PC: The Indian Express
- Notably, every summer, rising temperatures affect lives, livelihoods, power systems, water availability, agricultural productivity, and troop readiness. Unlike floods, cyclones, or earthquakes, heat rarely leaves behind dramatic visuals, yet affects vast parts of the country for long periods, making it one of India’s most under-recognised slow-onset disasters. Of course, the government authorities have issued guidelines to ensure citizens are not exposed to severe heatwave conditions during the day. Further, a health advisory about ensuring adequate hydration alongside light clothes to stave off the heat has been circulated. However, several instances of heat stroke deaths have been reported across all age groups. Let’s be careful and wait for the rainto arrive.
