Temperature in India reaches near 48ºC and alert issued for health, economy and elections Climate

Some areas of India are facing severe heat. On Sunday (19), the thermometer in the Najafgarh area of ​​the capital Delhi recorded 47.8°C – the highest recorded in the entire country – and 47.7°C in the city of Agra in the west of Uttar Pradesh state. Other places suffering from high temperatures this month are Haryana, Punjab, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and parts of western Rajasthan.

In Delhi, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert over the weekend, which occurs when people have a higher chance of developing diseases caused by the hot weather. The less severe orange alert will remain in effect until Wednesday (22) and officials have asked the population to remain cautious.

IMD scientist Soma Sen Roy recommended that people avoid going out during the hottest periods, drink plenty of water and wear loose clothing. For people who are particularly vulnerable, such as the elderly, the recommendation is to stay at home.

There are many people who prefer to stay inside their homes. Not only this, local rickshaw puller Satish Kumar said that his work is getting affected due to the heat. “People don’t go out, [os mercados] They are almost empty”, he said.

Apart from the impact on health and economy, there are also concerns about the general elections to be held in India. And the heat appears to be affecting the process, as 63% of people voted in the second phase (out of seven) at the beginning of the month, down from 66% in the first phase in April.

Portal euronews It is reported that while speaking at an election rally in Maharashtra state, a minister even fainted due to the heat.

Climate change

Summer, which runs from April to June, is usually hot in much of India, but over the past decade it has become more intense – and is often accompanied by severe water shortages. And it is related to climate change. According to a study by the academic group World Weather Attribution, extreme temperatures in South Asia are now about 0.85ºC hotter due to global warming.

The phenomenon is creating a serious health problem for Indians. The local government estimates that about 11,000 people have died during heat waves this century – experts say there has been under-reporting. Last year, 150 deaths were recorded.