Heatwaves claimed more than 17,000 lives in 50 years in India, according to a paper authored by M Rajeevan, former secretary of Ministry of Earth Sciences, along with scientists Kamaljit Ray, S S Ray, R K Giri and A P Dimri.
The study also found that Delhi is particularly vulnerable to the effects of extreme heatwaves, despite the fact that its latest state action plan for climate change does not reflect this.
The new study suggests that recurrent heatwaves have greater socioeconomic impact than previously known. It highlights that the government's assessment metrics do not sufficiently capture vulnerabilities to climate change impact
Heatwaves in India are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change, with over 90 percent of the country in the extremely cautious or danger zone of their impacts, according to a new study.