Humans approaching limits of ‘survivability’ as sweltering heatwaves engulf parts of Asia
Rhea Mogul
Commuters out in the light rain on the Sector 21 road, on June 25, 2023 in Noida, India. - Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times/Shutterstock
The rain in Uttar Pradesh is likely to continue this week, bringing cooler temperatures to the region. But in the neighboring state of Bihar, unrelenting heat has extended into its second week, forcing schools to shutter until Wednesday.
At least 44 people have died from heat-related illness across the state in recent weeks, a senior health official told CNN, but the number could be much higher as authorities struggle to accurately assess how many people have died from heatstroke.
Temperatures are expected to slightly cool over the coming days, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), however experts say the climate crisis is only going to cause more frequent and longer heatwaves in the future, testing India’s ability to adapt.
Commuters pass through a heavily waterlogged stretch of road on June 25, 2023. - Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times/Shutterstock
“India has a history of dealing with heat… There are going to be millions affected,” said Dr. Chandni Singh, Senior Researcher at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, adding the number of deaths that will be result from staggering heat depends on how prepared health systems are to deal with it.
“If health systems aren’t functioning, when you don’t have adequate emergency services, it will lead to (more deaths),” she said. “But what we know for certain is we are going to be approaching limits to survivability by mid-century.”
India is not the only country in the region to experience such sweltering heat in recent weeks.
Temperatures in northeast China are expected to remain high in the coming days, with mercury levels rising above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in certain cities, according to its meteorological observatory.
In Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, temperatures soared to 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) last week before weekend rain brought some relief to the region.
And studies warn the impact of extreme heat could be devastating.
Prolonged heat
India often experiences heatwaves during the summer months of May and June, but in recent years, they have arrived earlier and become more prolonged.
Last April, India experienced a heatwave which saw temperatures in capital New Delhi go beyond 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) for seven consecutive days. In some states, the heat closed schools, damaged crops and put pressure on energy supplies, as officials warned residents to remain indoors and keep hydrated.
India is among the countries expected to be worst affected by the climate crisis, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), potentially affecting 1.4 billion people nationwide.
And experts say the the cascading effects of this will be devastating.
A study published in April by the University of Cambridge said heatwaves in India are putting “unprecedented burdens” on India’s agriculture, economy and public health systems, stalling efforts to reach its development goals.
“Long-term projections indicate that Indian heatwaves could cross the survivability limit for a healthy human resting in the shade by 2050,” the study said. “They will impact the labor productivity, economic growth, and quality of life of around 310 - 480 million people. Estimates show a 15% decrease in outdoor working capacity during daylight hours due to extreme heat by 2050.”
Singh said India has already taken steps to mitigate the impacts of high temperatures, including altering working hours for some outdoor workers and increasing heat education.
But the effects of extreme heat will impact our environment, energy consumption and eco-systems, she warned.
“Typically in a heatwave, you also see related water scarcity and droughts. You see the failure of the electricity grid. These risks start stressing the entire system,” she said. “Crop productivity will get affected. There will be huge impacts on other animals. When we come up with heat reduction plans, these are all things that are important to remember.”
Extremes of weather
India’s heatwave in the north came as heavy rain battered the country’s northeast, with pre-monsoon rain in Assam state triggering landslides and heavy flooding.
Nearly half a million people have been affected after heavy showers battered the region, turning roads into rivers and submerging entire villages. The rain in Assam came one week after after tropical cyclone Biparjoy hit India’s west coast, ripping trees and toppling electricity poles.
Elsewhere in the region, Pakistan also saw heavy rain in capital Islamabad over the weekend, bringing some relief from the high temperatures the week prior.
The rain may cause urban flooding in key cities, the country’s weather forecasting center said, advising farmers to manage their crops and encouraging travelers to remain cautious.
A woman cools herself on a misting fan as she waits for a table outside a popular local restaurant during a heatwave on June 23, 2023 in Beijing, China.
Rhea Mogul
CNN
Updated Mon, June 26, 2023
Heavy showers blanketed northern India over the weekend, offering some much needed respite from a blistering heatwave that ravaged the region. But with mercury levels expected to remain high in other areas, the soaring heat has highlighted how millions in the world’s most populous nation are among the most vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis.
The weekend downpour in Uttar Pradesh was a welcome change for the northern state of 220 million after temperatures in some areas soared to 47 degrees Celsius (116 Fahrenheit) last week, sickening hundreds with heat-related illnesses.
On Sunday, temperatures dropped acutely in Lucknow to around 32 degrees Celsius (87 Fahrenheit), as the capital, along with other cities, experienced the first rain during this year’s monsoon season. Video broadcast on local television showed people getting soaked in the rain and commuters navigating waterlogged roads.
Updated Mon, June 26, 2023
Heavy showers blanketed northern India over the weekend, offering some much needed respite from a blistering heatwave that ravaged the region. But with mercury levels expected to remain high in other areas, the soaring heat has highlighted how millions in the world’s most populous nation are among the most vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis.
The weekend downpour in Uttar Pradesh was a welcome change for the northern state of 220 million after temperatures in some areas soared to 47 degrees Celsius (116 Fahrenheit) last week, sickening hundreds with heat-related illnesses.
On Sunday, temperatures dropped acutely in Lucknow to around 32 degrees Celsius (87 Fahrenheit), as the capital, along with other cities, experienced the first rain during this year’s monsoon season. Video broadcast on local television showed people getting soaked in the rain and commuters navigating waterlogged roads.
Commuters out in the light rain on the Sector 21 road, on June 25, 2023 in Noida, India. - Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times/Shutterstock
The rain in Uttar Pradesh is likely to continue this week, bringing cooler temperatures to the region. But in the neighboring state of Bihar, unrelenting heat has extended into its second week, forcing schools to shutter until Wednesday.
At least 44 people have died from heat-related illness across the state in recent weeks, a senior health official told CNN, but the number could be much higher as authorities struggle to accurately assess how many people have died from heatstroke.
Temperatures are expected to slightly cool over the coming days, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), however experts say the climate crisis is only going to cause more frequent and longer heatwaves in the future, testing India’s ability to adapt.
Commuters pass through a heavily waterlogged stretch of road on June 25, 2023. - Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times/Shutterstock
“India has a history of dealing with heat… There are going to be millions affected,” said Dr. Chandni Singh, Senior Researcher at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, adding the number of deaths that will be result from staggering heat depends on how prepared health systems are to deal with it.
“If health systems aren’t functioning, when you don’t have adequate emergency services, it will lead to (more deaths),” she said. “But what we know for certain is we are going to be approaching limits to survivability by mid-century.”
India is not the only country in the region to experience such sweltering heat in recent weeks.
Temperatures in northeast China are expected to remain high in the coming days, with mercury levels rising above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in certain cities, according to its meteorological observatory.
In Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, temperatures soared to 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) last week before weekend rain brought some relief to the region.
And studies warn the impact of extreme heat could be devastating.
Prolonged heat
India often experiences heatwaves during the summer months of May and June, but in recent years, they have arrived earlier and become more prolonged.
Last April, India experienced a heatwave which saw temperatures in capital New Delhi go beyond 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) for seven consecutive days. In some states, the heat closed schools, damaged crops and put pressure on energy supplies, as officials warned residents to remain indoors and keep hydrated.
India is among the countries expected to be worst affected by the climate crisis, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), potentially affecting 1.4 billion people nationwide.
And experts say the the cascading effects of this will be devastating.
A study published in April by the University of Cambridge said heatwaves in India are putting “unprecedented burdens” on India’s agriculture, economy and public health systems, stalling efforts to reach its development goals.
“Long-term projections indicate that Indian heatwaves could cross the survivability limit for a healthy human resting in the shade by 2050,” the study said. “They will impact the labor productivity, economic growth, and quality of life of around 310 - 480 million people. Estimates show a 15% decrease in outdoor working capacity during daylight hours due to extreme heat by 2050.”
Singh said India has already taken steps to mitigate the impacts of high temperatures, including altering working hours for some outdoor workers and increasing heat education.
But the effects of extreme heat will impact our environment, energy consumption and eco-systems, she warned.
“Typically in a heatwave, you also see related water scarcity and droughts. You see the failure of the electricity grid. These risks start stressing the entire system,” she said. “Crop productivity will get affected. There will be huge impacts on other animals. When we come up with heat reduction plans, these are all things that are important to remember.”
Extremes of weather
India’s heatwave in the north came as heavy rain battered the country’s northeast, with pre-monsoon rain in Assam state triggering landslides and heavy flooding.
Nearly half a million people have been affected after heavy showers battered the region, turning roads into rivers and submerging entire villages. The rain in Assam came one week after after tropical cyclone Biparjoy hit India’s west coast, ripping trees and toppling electricity poles.
Elsewhere in the region, Pakistan also saw heavy rain in capital Islamabad over the weekend, bringing some relief from the high temperatures the week prior.
The rain may cause urban flooding in key cities, the country’s weather forecasting center said, advising farmers to manage their crops and encouraging travelers to remain cautious.
A woman cools herself on a misting fan as she waits for a table outside a popular local restaurant during a heatwave on June 23, 2023 in Beijing, China.
- Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
China is expected to see soaring temperatures across several cities, including capital Beijing.
Last week, Beijing’s temperature soared above 41 degrees Celsius (105.8 degrees Fahrenheit), setting a new record for the capital’s hottest day in June.
According to the country’s meteorological observatory, Beijing, Tianjin, Heibei, Shandong will “continue to be baked by high temperatures.”
CNN’s Tara Subramaniam contributed reporting
For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
China is expected to see soaring temperatures across several cities, including capital Beijing.
Last week, Beijing’s temperature soared above 41 degrees Celsius (105.8 degrees Fahrenheit), setting a new record for the capital’s hottest day in June.
According to the country’s meteorological observatory, Beijing, Tianjin, Heibei, Shandong will “continue to be baked by high temperatures.”
CNN’s Tara Subramaniam contributed reporting
For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Rachel Ramirez
CNN
Updated Tue, June 27, 2023
A brutal heat wave is expanding across Texas and the South this week, impacting millions of Americans with triple-digit temperatures and extreme humidity that is cranking up the heat index, making it feel hotter than 110 degrees in some of the region’s most populous cities.
But forecasters are warning that there is a more dangerous aspect to this heat wave, and one that is becoming more common because of the climate crisis: overnight temperatures are not cooling down enough, offering little reprieve from the oppressive heat — particularly for people who don’t have access to air conditioning.
The National Weather Service highlighted the insidious nature of this week’s heat wave in a statement on Monday, when forecasters at the Weather Prediction Center noted “there may be more danger than a typical heat event, due to the longevity of near-record or record high nighttime lows and elevated heat index readings.”
Overnight temperature records are expected to far outpace daytime records this week. Around 90 afternoon high-temperature records could be broken across the South, from Texas to the Mississippi Valley and parts of Florida, according to data from the National Weather Service.
But overnight temperatures will also stay abnormally high, with potentially 180 nighttime records broken over the next seven days.
Hotter nights are a consequence of the climate crisis, scientists have warned. On average, nights are warming faster than days in most of the US, according to the 2018 National Climate Assessment.
“We think it’s because as the days grow warmer, there is more moisture in the air that traps the heat,” Lisa Patel, the executive director of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, told CNN. “During the day, that moisture reflects the heat, but at night, it traps the heat in.”
Increasing nighttime heat is even more common in cities because of the urban heat island effect, in which metro areas are significantly hotter than their surroundings.
Dallas, for example, is set to go six consecutive days without seeing temperatures drop below 80 degrees Fahrenheit overnight — a June record for the city.
Areas with a lot of asphalt, concrete, buildings and freeways absorb more of the sun’s heat than areas with parks, rivers and tree-lined streets. At night, when temperatures are supposed to cool down, the retained heat is released back into the air, said Kristie Ebi, a climate and health expert at the University of Washington.
Areas with a lot of green space – with grass and trees that reflect sunlight and create shade – are cooler on summer’s hottest days.
Updated Tue, June 27, 2023
A brutal heat wave is expanding across Texas and the South this week, impacting millions of Americans with triple-digit temperatures and extreme humidity that is cranking up the heat index, making it feel hotter than 110 degrees in some of the region’s most populous cities.
But forecasters are warning that there is a more dangerous aspect to this heat wave, and one that is becoming more common because of the climate crisis: overnight temperatures are not cooling down enough, offering little reprieve from the oppressive heat — particularly for people who don’t have access to air conditioning.
The National Weather Service highlighted the insidious nature of this week’s heat wave in a statement on Monday, when forecasters at the Weather Prediction Center noted “there may be more danger than a typical heat event, due to the longevity of near-record or record high nighttime lows and elevated heat index readings.”
Overnight temperature records are expected to far outpace daytime records this week. Around 90 afternoon high-temperature records could be broken across the South, from Texas to the Mississippi Valley and parts of Florida, according to data from the National Weather Service.
But overnight temperatures will also stay abnormally high, with potentially 180 nighttime records broken over the next seven days.
Hotter nights are a consequence of the climate crisis, scientists have warned. On average, nights are warming faster than days in most of the US, according to the 2018 National Climate Assessment.
“We think it’s because as the days grow warmer, there is more moisture in the air that traps the heat,” Lisa Patel, the executive director of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, told CNN. “During the day, that moisture reflects the heat, but at night, it traps the heat in.”
Increasing nighttime heat is even more common in cities because of the urban heat island effect, in which metro areas are significantly hotter than their surroundings.
Dallas, for example, is set to go six consecutive days without seeing temperatures drop below 80 degrees Fahrenheit overnight — a June record for the city.
Areas with a lot of asphalt, concrete, buildings and freeways absorb more of the sun’s heat than areas with parks, rivers and tree-lined streets. At night, when temperatures are supposed to cool down, the retained heat is released back into the air, said Kristie Ebi, a climate and health expert at the University of Washington.
Areas with a lot of green space – with grass and trees that reflect sunlight and create shade – are cooler on summer’s hottest days.
Texas resident drinks water while working security outside in Arlington, Texas, on Monday. - LM Otero/AP
“Many cities put together cooling shelters, but people have to know where they are, how to get to them and what hours they operate,” Ebi told CNN, noting that city officials need to rethink urban planning to consider climate change.
“It’s going to take a while for trees to grow, but we need tree planting programs focusing on places that are particularly vulnerable — making sure that city planning takes into account that we’re heading into a much warmer future.”
Houston has had nine days far this month that haven’t dropped below 80 degrees — nearly double what’s typical for June. This has only happened two other times in the city’s records.
Nighttime should be when our bodies are given a break from the heat, Patel said. But with climate change, that’s becoming less likely to happen. A recent study found that heat-related deaths could increase six-fold by the end of the century due to warmer nighttime temperatures, unless planet-warming pollution is significantly curbed.
Researchers have also warned the climate crisis is already affecting people’s ability to sleep. A study published last month found that people living in warmer climates lose more sleep for each degree of temperature increase.
“We all know what it’s like to try to fall asleep on a hot night — it’s uncomfortable,” Patel said. “We often lose sleep. It is estimated that by the end of the century, we could lose about two days of sleep per year, and it will be worse for people without access to air conditioning.”
Patel explains that at its most extreme, when a human body does not get the chance to recover — typically at night — heat stress can progress to heat stroke, which is associated with confusion, dizziness and passing out.
And while this can happen to anyone, she said the impacts are more amplified on the elderly, people with chronic underlying health conditions, and young children, particularly infants. Heat waves that go on for several days tend to be associated with more deaths as the body can no longer keep itself cool.
“Living through a heat wave during the day can be like running a race,” Patel said. “We need a cool break to recover and recuperate, and when nighttime temperatures don’t drop, we don’t get that critical time we need to relieve the stress on our bodies from being overheated during the day.”
CNN’s Brandon Miller, Monica Garrett and Taylor Ward contributed to this report.
No comments:
Post a Comment