Particle.news
Download on the App Store
12 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

Study Reveals 57% of Indian Districts Face Alarming Heat Risk

A new report highlights rising nighttime temperatures, increasing humidity, and widespread socio-economic impacts affecting 76% of India's population.

A man covers his face using a cloth to shield himself from the sun as he inspects railway tracks during a hot summer day in New Delhi, India, June 18, 2024. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh/File Photo
A man sleeps in his rickshaw during a heatwave on a hot summer day in New Delhi, India, June 18, 2024. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo
Inflatable bath tubs being sold on a Delhi roadside. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)
A woman shields her child from the scorching heat on a hot summer day in Prayagraj. (PTI Photo)

Overview

  • The Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) study finds 57% of Indian districts, home to 76% of the population, at high to very high heat risk.
  • Nighttime temperatures are rising faster than daytime heat, with 70% of districts experiencing over five additional very warm nights per summer in the last decade.
  • Relative humidity in North India, particularly the Indo-Gangetic Plain, has increased from 30–40% to 40–50%, exacerbating heat stress and health risks.
  • Urban areas such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Jaipur face intensified heat exposure due to urban heat islands and dense populations.
  • The report warns of significant economic impacts, including the potential loss of 35 million full-time jobs and a 4.5% GDP reduction by 2030.