Heatwave In India

Indians faced nearly 20 heatwave days in 2024 on average: Lancet report

People in India each experienced nearly 20 heatwave days in 2024 on average, of which about six-and-a-half days would not be expected were it not for climate change, according to a new global report published by The Lancet journal. Estimates suggest that an exposure to heat in 2024 resulted in a loss of 247 billion potential labour hours per year -- a record high of nearly 420 hours per person -- and 124 per cent more than that during 1990-1999. The agriculture sector accounted for 66 per cent, and construction sector for 20 per cent of the losses in 2024, according to the '2025 Report of The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change'. A reduced capacity of labour due to the extreme heat is associated with a potential loss of income of USD 194 billion in 2024, it said. An international team of 128 experts from 71 academic institutions and UN agencies, led by University College London, were involved in producing the ninth edition of the report. Published ahead of the 30th UN ..

Harsh climate claims over 2,000 lives in India in 2024: WMO climate report

Asia is heating nearly twice as fast as the global average, triggering severe heatwaves, rainfall anomalies and cyclonic activity across the region in 2024, WMO has said

Datanomics: India's heatwave crisis at boiling point; economic risks mount

The economic toll is rising too. India could see 34 million of the projected 80 million global job losses from heat stress by 2030

High temperatures take toll on realty, project timelines, impact workers

Realty & construction cos taking tactical measures: Heatwave training, on-site housing, new tech and more

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 An investigation by PTI reveals that disjointed, outdated reporting systems are obscuring the true toll, weakening both public awareness and policy action.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

Burning issue: Govt adds financial muscle to heatwave plans for states

NDMA retools heat response strategy amid health warnings

India's nights are heating up faster than days, 76% population at risk

A new national study finds night-time temperatures rising faster than daytime highs in 70% of districts, exposing millions to prolonged, dangerous levels of heat stress

India bought 14 mn ACs in 2024: Cooling boom adds to environmental burden

More air conditioners will also increase the demand for electricity, most of which comes from burning coal - a major source of climate pollution

Consumer durables shares Voltas, Blue Star down up to 5%; here's why

AC sales in Q1FY26 could be adversely impacted as March and April sales were muted due to the delayed summer, and if demand doesn't pick up meaningfully in May and June.

Heatwave grips North and Central India; IMD issues yellow alert till Apr 25

IMD declares a heatwave when the maximum temperature reaches at least 40 degree celsius in plains, 37 degree celsius in coastal areas, and 30 degree celsius in hilly regions

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

Heatwaves drove 1/3rd of rise in India's power demand in 2024: Report

India's electricity demand during the severe heatwave months of April to June 2024 rose by 10.4 per cent compared to the corresponding period the year before, with increased use of air conditioning contributing to nearly a third of the rise, according to a new report released on Tuesday. The sixth edition of global energy think tank Ember's Global Electricity Review also said heatwaves were responsible for almost a fifth of the increase in global electricity demand in 2024 and were the main reason behind a 1.4 per cent rise in fossil fuel-based power generation. This led to a 1.6 per cent increase in global power sector emissions, adding 223 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and pushing total emissions to a record high of 14.6 billion tonnes. Without the heat-related demand, fossil generation would have grown just 0.2 per cent, as clean energy met 96 per cent of the demand growth not caused by hotter temperatures, said the report. In India, electricity demand during April-September

Uttar Pradesh braces for above normal temperatures, heatwaves this summer

A punishing summer is in store for Uttar Pradesh, with prolonged periods of above normal temperature and intense heat waves predicted from April to June this year. The state's Bundelkhand region, which covers seven districts of Jhansi and Chitrakootdham division, will bear the brunt of the heatwaves, posing significant risks to both human and animal health, weather officials said. "During these months, above-normal maximum temperatures are expected across Uttar Pradesh. The forecast indicates that daytime temperatures will consistently exceed the 40-degree Celsius mark," Atul Kumar Singh, a MeT official here, said. Adding to the concern, night time temperatures are also projected to remain unusually high. "The minimum temperatures recorded during night time are also expected to remain above normal," Singh said. The Bundelkhand region is anticipated to be the epicentre of this extreme heat, he added. The first week of April has already provided a stark preview of the impending hea

April-June to be hotter than usual, more heatwave days likely: IMD

India is expected to experience hotter-than-usual temperatures from April to June, with more heatwave days in central and eastern India and the northwestern plains, the IMD said on Monday. Most parts of the country will see higher-than-normal maximum temperatures, except for some areas in western and eastern India where the temperatures are expected to be normal. Minimum temperatures will also be above normal in most regions, India Meteorological Department (IMD) chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said in an online press conference. "From April to June, most parts of north and east India, central India, and the plains of northwest India are expected to experience two to four more heatwave days than normal," he said. Usually, India records four to seven heatwave days from April to June. An IMD official had earlier said northwest India might face double the number of heatwave days during the summer. The region normally experiences five to six heatwave days during the season. States likely

India's heat waves drive air conditioner sales, defying consumer slowdown

Blue Star Ltd. expects as much as 30 per cent growth over the summer, with a significant increase in sales in smaller cities, Managing Director B Thiagarajan said

Formulate national heat plan amid high temp worry this summer: Parl panel

On climate change, the committee said it is a global concern and India, being among the most populous countries, needs to be especially vigilant

India needs urgent cooldown strategy as 2025 may break heat records

Meteorologists attribute the early heatwave to an extremely dry winter season, among other factors

IMD issues heatwaves in India: What is heatwave and its impact on us?

The IMD has issued heatwave alerts for several regions. With extreme heat claiming lives each year, it is crucial to understand how to stay safe during the hottest periods of the season

As mercury increases, NDMA readies 300 heat action plans for cities

States are mandated to develop and implement heat HAPs for awareness and prevention of heat-induced diseases. However, most do not go beyond issuing standard advisories on heat prevention

Climate change more robust now, La Nina may lose impact soon: Report

Climate change is growing stronger and more robust, and the cooling, counter effects of La Nina may not be effective in a warmer future, climate scientists said, assessing current heat trends seen in large parts of the country. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted an early summer this year, with above normal temperatures and intense, long heatwave spells. The country experienced its warmest February since 1901, with the fifth lowest rainfall since 2001, it said. While human-caused climate change is increasingly driving a 'new normal' marked by a warmer winter and shorter spring, scientists also draw attention to the yearly changes in weather patterns, termed 'year-to-year variability'. "For example, updates from the IMD this year suggest that it was an unusually dry winter," Arpita Mondal, associate professor at the centre for climate studies at IIT Bombay, told PTI. She explained that rain is a natural cooling process helping bring temperatures down. Raghu ...