India’s current heatwave, the longest ever experienced in the country, is causing concern among experts. The top weather official of the government issued a warning on Monday about the increasingly unbearable temperatures that people will face.
Since mid-May, parts of northern India have been under the grip of a scorching heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit).
“This is the longest heatwave spell we have seen, lasting for about 24 days in various parts of the country,” stated Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the head of India’s Meteorological Department (IMD), in an interview with the Indian Express newspaper.
Although temperatures are expected to decrease with the arrival of the monsoon rains later this month, Mohapatra warned that more severe heatwaves could occur if appropriate precautionary measures are not taken.
“Heatwaves will become more frequent, lasting longer, and intensifying if we do not implement preventive measures,” Mohapatra emphasized.
Despite being the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, India has committed to achieving a net zero emissions economy by 2070, much later than most other industrialized nations in the West. Currently, the country heavily relies on coal for power generation.
“Human activities, population growth, industrialization, and transportation systems are causing increased concentrations of harmful gases like carbon monoxide, methane, and chlorocarbons,” Mohapatra explained.
“Our actions are not only endangering us, but also our future generations.”Â
Scientific studies reveal that climate change is leading to longer, more frequent, and more intense heatwaves. The recent heatwave in New Delhi matched the record high temperature of 49.2C (120.5F) set in 2022.
As people sought relief from the extreme heat, the electricity grid experienced its highest peak power demand of 8,302 megawatts. On May 29, a weather station in the Delhi suburb of Mungeshpur erroneously recorded a high temperature of 52.9C (127.2F) due to a faulty sensor.
Despite this error, 17 other weather stations in Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 49C (120.2F) on the same day, prompting further investigation by experts.
Mohapatra confirmed for the first time that the sensor was faulty and explained, “We inspect the automatic weather stations every six months, but sometimes external factors like birds or monkeys may disturb them.”
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