In May 2024, India experienced a severe heat wave, with both maximum and minimum temperatures breaking records. Temperatures in many parts remained above 50 degrees Celsius. The temperature in Delhi reached 52 degrees Celsius, a new record. This severe heat affected people’s lives a lot and the situation worsened in many places.
In May 2024, India experienced extreme heat, breaking all previous records. This heat wave was about 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than before. This information has been obtained from a recent study by scientists of an organization named ClimaMeter.
Cause of heat
Scientists say that the main reason for this heat is ‘El Nino’ and increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. ‘El Nino’ is a condition when the water of the Pacific Ocean becomes abnormally hot. Along with this, the increasing amount of gases like carbon dioxide and methane has further increased the temperature.
what does research say
Scientists observed that between 2001 and 2023, the incidence of heat has changed a lot compared to before. They compared it with the heat from 1979 to 2001. They found that now heat waves have become more intense and longer. The temperature is rising more rapidly and the number of hot days has also increased. Global warming and climate change are the major reasons for this. Due to this change, people are facing more heat, which is having a bad effect on life and health. It is very important to pay attention to this.
why is this happening
“According to ClimaMeter, heat waves in India are now getting hotter. The main reason for this is that we are burning too much fossil fuels, such as coal and oil,” said David Faranda of the French National Center for Scientific Research.
Matter of concern
- May 2024 has been the hottest May ever.
- In the last 12 months from June 2023 to May 2024, every month has broken its old records.
- Due to the heat of April and May, voting was low in the general elections held from April 19 to June 1.
- According to the Central Water Commission, water storage in India’s 150 major reservoirs has fallen to just 22%, leading to water shortages in several states and affecting hydropower generation.
- The scorching heat has pushed India’s power demand to a record 246 gigawatts.
- From March to May, nearly 25,000 heat stroke cases and 56 deaths were recorded in India.
Also read: You should not be pressuring your child to join coaching classes during summer vacation, this causes these problems