Record Heatwave Hits India

A horrible heatwave has hit India, with over 100 people reported dead as a result already.

As parts of the country exceed 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), concerns have risen that some places may become too hot for humans to survive.

Parts of India are currently hotter than 122 degrees Fahrenheit and experts are currently ringing several other alarm bells. As the death toll climbs, experts are concerned that rising global temperatures will cause parts of India to be too hot for human habitation by the end of the century. Researchers at MIT found during a 2017 study that heat waves can produce so much heat and humidity that by 2100, parts of India will become uninhabitable. The study explains that 70% of India’s population will be exposed to “extreme” heat and humidity by 2100. The Indian Meteorological Department classifies temperatures of over 47 degrees Celsius (116 degrees Fahrenheit) as extreme. The problems don’t stop in India, as neighboring Pakistan and Bangladesh are expected to face similar catastrophes, affecting the 1.5 billion people living in these three countries while also affecting the entire world as food production takes a serious hit.

The state of Delhi, which hosts India’s capital of New Delhi, reached record temperatures of 48 degrees Celsius. Schools and other institutions have closed down in several parts of the country as a result of the heat. Droughts also often come as a side effect of extreme heat in India. The city of Chennai has been pushed close to running out of water.

Written by  
5 years ago