India Battles Record Heat Waves Amid Climate Change Crisis

India faces unprecedented heat waves with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius across many regions. Hospitals report a significant rise in heatstroke cases while water and power shortages exacerbate the crisis. Experts blame climate change and the El Niño phenomenon for the severe conditions.

Swathes of northern and eastern India grappled with punishing heat wave conditions on Wednesday. A western disturbance may provide much-needed relief, though only marginally, over the next few days, according to the India Meteorological Department.

Also, conditions are now favorable for further advancement of the Monsoon, which had made no significant progress between June 12 and 18, extending the wait for rains in north India. The region reels from sweltering heat with maximum temperatures ranging from 43 to 45 degrees Celsius in many parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and north Rajasthan.

In the national capital, hospitals reported a spike in heatstroke cases and several deaths over the last two days, with the minimum temperature settling at 35.2 degrees Celsius, marking the warmest night in at least 14 years. A fresh western disturbance is expected to bring some relief, with Delhi expecting light rainfall on June 20.

The blistering heat has left many scrambling for water, with storage levels in reservoirs and rivers hitting record lows. Power grids are under immense pressure, leading to incidents of short circuits and fires. Massive electricity consumption amid the heat wave pushed the peak power demand of Delhi to an all-time high level of 8656 MW.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda reviewed the heatwave situation and directed central government hospitals to start special heatwave units. Experts attribute the scorching heat to climate change and the El Niño phenomenon, as India experiences one of its hottest summers. Data shows that 12 of the warmest years in India have occurred since 2006, with 2016 being the hottest year to date.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)