Heatwave

2 killed in Spanish wildfire as extreme heat wave hits parts of Europe

Europe's continuing heat wave on Wednesday helped fuel a deadly wildfire in Spain while the European Union presented plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under scorching temperatures. The blaze that broke out late on Tuesday created an enormous thick plume of ash and smoke that rose 14,000 metres into the sky, making it the largest registered by firefighters in Catalonia, a northeastern region of Spain. Two farmers were killed while apparently trying to flee in a vehicle, local authorities said Wednesday. Firefighters said that the fire spread at 28 kph (17 mph) at one point as it consumed 6,500 hectares (16,000 acres) mostly of grain fields. Wildfires today are not like they were before, Salvador Illa, the regional president of Catalonia, said. These are extremely dangerous. From the very first moment, it was considered to be beyond the capacity of extinction. I mean that not even with two or three times the number of firefighters, they have told me, it would have been possib

Heatwaves grip Europe: Red alerts, wildfires, Eiffel Tower closed

Spain sees hottest June in a century; more than 50,000 people evacuated amid wildfires in Turkiye and the Balkans

China's scorching July heatwave to strain power grid as demand surges

Key rice growing areas will also bake in the heat, threatening to damage the crop during a crucial development stage and risking lower output in one of the country's top-producing regions

Europe hit by extreme heatwave after recording hottest March ever

'Very high and persistent temperatures are expected, both during the day and at night, which could pose a risk to exposed and/or vulnerable people,' Spain's state meteorological office, Aemet said

Asia warming at nearly twice global rate, fuelling extreme weather: WMO

The report highlights that in 2024, heatwaves gripped a record area of the ocean, with sea surface temperatures hitting all-time highs

UK heat wave could claim nearly 600 lives this week, scientists warn

Saturday is expected to be the deadliest day, with an estimate of 266 heat-related deaths, nearly half of which could be recorded in London, according to the researchers

Monsoon likely to hit Delhi by June 22, ahead of normal schedule

Delhi has been facing scorching summer heat over the past two weeks, with heat index temperatures reaching as high as 54.4 degrees Celsius last week

Yellow alert issued in Delhi, IMD forecasts moderate rainfall till June 19

IMD has issued a yellow alert for Delhi till June 19, warning of thunderstorms, lightning and winds up to 50-60 kmph, with light to moderate rain likely during the early hours

AC makers lower sales projection to 10-15% despite spike in June numbers

Unrelenting heatwave across north and east regions has spiked sales of room air-conditioners (RAC) in June, but intermittent rains in several part of the country amid peak demand season have forced the industry players to lower sales projections to 10-15 per cent for this year. The summer, which is the peak season for sales of room air-conditioners, has disappointed AC makers this time, though there are some silver lining in June with impulse purchases happening due to the heatwave. RAC makers said after having an encouraging numbers in February and March, helped by an early arrival of summer, they were expecting a high double-digit volume growth of around 25 per cent from the last year, and had also built up inventory. "We all had planned for a 25 to 30 per cent growth, which is not going to take place. This is a disappointing summer; that is the truth. It is part and parcel of the game," Blue Star Managing Director B Thiagarajan told PTI. "We have to manage the situation and move

Delhi on red alert as heat index hits 51.9°C; relief expected post June 13

A red alert was issued for Delhi as it remained in the grip of an intense heatwave, with temperatures ranging from 40.9 to 45.0 degrees Celsius across various weather stations on Wednesday. The heat index, a measure of how hot it feels when humidity is factored in, touched an alarming 51.9 degrees Celsius. At 5.30 pm, Ayanagar was the hottest at 45 degrees Celsius, followed by Palam at 44.5 degrees Celsius, Ridge at 43.6 degrees Celsius, Pitampura at 43.5 degrees Celsius, Lodi Road at 43.4 degrees Celsius, Mayur Vihar at 40.9 degrees Celsius and Safdarjung --the city's base station -- reported 43.3 degrees Celsius. On the heat index crossing 50, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said it depends on temperature and relative humidity and varies throughout the day based on changes in these values. Additionally, the heat index is not validated for Indian conditions, and no official records of it are maintained. Heatwave conditions have been observed in Delhi and at isolated plac

Delhi swelters at 43.8 degrees as heatwave pushes real-feel to 47 degrees

In the grip of extreme heat, Delhi on Tuesday recorded its highest maximum temperature of the season at 43.8 degrees Celsius, 3.6 notches above the season's average, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The real-feel temperature or heat index was 47.1 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, while the minimum temperature settled at 27.8 degrees Celsius. The humidity levels fluctuated between 39 per cent and 24 per cent, the weather department said. The IMD on Monday issued an orange alert for the capital city till Wednesday, warning people to stay cautious and take steps to protect themselves from the ongoing heatwave. According to the IMD, very hot weather will persist in Delhi until at least June 12. The daytime temperature on Wednesday is expected to hover around the 45-degree Celsius mark, while the nights will also be warm at around 29 degrees Celsius, the IMD said. Safdarjung, the base observatory of Delhi, on Tuesday recorded a maximum temperature of 43.8 degrees Celsius, w

India's deadly heatwaves worsen, but data gap masks true death toll

On a scorching May afternoon last year, a ragpicker in Delhi's Ghazipur area collapsed from heat exhaustion. "The family rushed him to the hospital," says Majida Begum, a sanitation worker who witnessed it. "But he was declared dead on arrival. They had no proof that he died due to heat, so they were not given any compensation." His death was never officially counted, just one of the countless lives lost in India's intensifying heatwaves that go unrecorded and uncompensated. An investigation by PTI reveals that disjointed, outdated reporting systems are obscuring the true toll, weakening both public awareness and policy action. Accurate data on heat-related deaths helps identify who is most at risk. Without it, the government cannot plan effectively, create targeted policies or take timely action to save lives. But behind the missing numbers are real people, many poor and undocumented, whose deaths routinely slip through the cracks of India's incoherent reporting system. Current

Japan firms to face fines if they fail to protect workers from heat waves

Businesses will face potential penalties including fines of 500,000 yen ($3,475) if provisions aren't sufficient

SC seeks Centre's response on 700 heatwave deaths, calls for urgent action

The Supreme Court has sought the Centre's response on a plea over 700 heatwave deaths, urging urgent action to enforce disaster guidelines amid rising climate risks

Scorching weather in North India drives rise in heat-related illnesses

Govt, hospitals preparing to make necessary arrangements to tackle increased heatwave load

Rising temperature: Public policy responses must become proactive

Though heatwaves are common across northern India during April-June, their duration and intensity have steadily increased

Delhi heatwave alert: IMD warns of soaring temperatures this weekend

Temperature in Delhi is expected to climb above 40 degrees Celsius; air quality remains poor despite marginal improvement across NCR regions

Experts seek 'right to cool', heat protection for informal sector workers

Climate experts have proposed urgent measures, including paid heat leave, free water ATMs at labour hubs and legal recognition for the 'right to cool', to protect India's informal workforce during the extreme summer months. More than 80 per cent of Delhi's workers, including street vendors, construction labourers and ragpickers, face severe health risks and income loss due to extreme heat. The women among them are disproportionately affected, the experts said. Amruta, a campaigner at Greenpeace India, highlighted that heat waves were no longer just weather events but disasters for those without shelter, water or rest spaces. A Greenpeace India report last year found that 61 per cent of street vendors lost more than 40 per cent of their daily income during extreme heat while 75 per cent lacked access to cooling infrastructure near workplaces. Hisham Mundol, chief advisor at Environmental Defense Fund - India, said informal workers bore the brunt of heat waves and rising cases of ...

Delhi braces for heatwaves amid rising temperature, AQI remains 'moderate'

The maximum temperature in the national capital today is expected to range between 38 and 40 degrees Celsius, while the minimum may settle between 23 and 25 degrees Celsius

Delhi sizzles over 40°C amid intense heatwave, govt issues advisory

A hotter day lies ahead, with the minimum and maximum temperatures forecast at 23 degrees Celsius and 40 degrees Celsius, respectively