Study Warns of Rising Heat Threats in India During Monsoon Season
Monsoon may no longer cool India’s heat threat, study warns
The Times Of IndiaImage: The Times Of India
A new study from IIT Gandhinagar, Stanford, and Purdue highlights that rising temperatures and humidity in India may lead to increased 'uncompensable heat stress' during monsoon months, affecting up to 800 million people. This poses serious public health risks and calls for improved heat preparedness measures.
- 01Uncompensable heat stress (UHS) currently affects 8% of India during summer, but projections suggest 53% during monsoon under a 2°C increase.
- 02The Indo-Gangetic Plain and other densely populated regions are most vulnerable to UHS due to high outdoor work exposure and climatic conditions.
- 03Existing heat action plans in India may be inadequate as they primarily focus on temperature without considering humidity's impact on heat stress.
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A recent study by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Stanford University, and Purdue University warns that India's extreme heat threat could extend into the monsoon season due to rising temperatures and humidity. The study, published in AGU Advances, defines 'uncompensable heat stress' (UHS) as conditions where the human body can no longer cool itself effectively. Currently, UHS is mainly a summer issue, affecting about 8% of India's land area, but projections indicate that by the time global temperatures rise by 2°C, nearly 60% of India could experience UHS in summer and 53% during monsoon. The study highlights that regions like the Indo-Gangetic Plain are particularly at risk due to high population density and outdoor labor. The researchers emphasize the need for improved heat preparedness, suggesting that current systems focus too much on temperature thresholds without accounting for humidity. They advocate for humidity-sensitive heat alerts and better safety measures for vulnerable populations, as the combination of heat and humidity could significantly impact public health and labor productivity in the future.
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The study indicates that rising heat and humidity could significantly affect public health, especially for outdoor workers and vulnerable populations.
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