A 'red' warning has been issued for Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat, indicating a "very high likelihood" of heat illness and heat stroke for all age groups. On Sunday, large parts of India endured a deadly heat wave that tested the power grids and disaster preparedness of states. In response, Maharashtra's Akola imposed Section 144 until May 31, prohibiting public gatherings.
Rajasthan's Phalodi emerged as the hottest place in the country for the second consecutive day, recording a maximum temperature of 49.8 degrees Celsius. The previous day, the city had reached 50 degrees Celsius—the highest temperature recorded in India since June 1, 2019. The state has reported multiple heat-related deaths over the last three days.
Official data showed that at least 37 places in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh recorded maximum temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius or above on Sunday, compared to 17 places a day earlier. Even Himachal Pradesh, typically a cooler destination, experienced sizzling temperatures. Shimla recorded its hottest day of the season at 30.6 degrees Celsius, while Una sizzled at 44.4 degrees Celsius.
In Delhi, at least eight places recorded maximum temperatures above 46 degrees Celsius, with Mungeshpur and Najafgarh logging 48.3 and 48.1 degrees Celsius, respectively. Haryana's Narnaul reached 47 degrees Celsius, and Punjab's Faridkot recorded 47.4 degrees Celsius.
The extreme heat led to the administration in Maharashtra's Akola imposing Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) until May 31, banning public gatherings. Establishments have been instructed to ensure adequate arrangements for drinking water and fans for workers, and private coaching classes are advised not to be held during the afternoon.
According to the Central Water Commission, water storage in 150 major reservoirs in India dropped to just 24 percent of their live storage capacity last week, worsening water shortages in many states and significantly affecting hydropower generation.
The intense heat has driven India's power demand to 239.96 gigawatts, the highest so far this season, with air conditioners and coolers in homes and offices running at full capacity. Experts predict that power demand could rise further and potentially surpass the all-time high of 243.27 GW recorded in September 2023.
Temperatures soared to 49 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan's Barmer, 48.6 degrees Celsius in Bikaner, and 48.5 degrees Celsius in Jaisalmer. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma stated that round-the-clock monitoring is being done to ensure the continued supply of electricity and water. Leaves of officers and personnel in the electricity, public health engineering, and medical departments have been canceled.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported severe heat wave conditions in parts of Rajasthan and Delhi, while heat waves prevailed in some parts of Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Maharashtra's Akola and Yavatmal recorded maximum temperatures of 45.2 and 46.6 degrees Celsius, respectively, while Madhya Pradesh's Sagar saw the mercury soar to 46.2 degrees Celsius, Guna to 46.2 degrees Celsius, and Khajuraho to 46 degrees Celsius.
This heat wave in May has seen several places across the country, including Assam, Himachal Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh, recording their all-time high temperatures. The Met Office predicts that extreme heat will continue in parts of Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra until May 29.
The IMD warned that warm night conditions could further exacerbate heat-related stress in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan over the next four days. High night temperatures are particularly dangerous as they prevent the body from cooling down, a situation worsened by the urban heat island effect in cities.
Akash Vashishtha, the founder-secretary of the Society for Protection of Environment and Biodiversity, explained that urban areas like Delhi-NCR become heat chambers due to land and surface concretization, causing a heat multiplier effect. The severe heat wave condition in Delhi-NCR is not typical for this time of year but is the result of extensively concretized land surfaces creating 'urban heat islands', which amplify the trapped heat in the lower atmosphere.
The intense heat has impacted a large number of people in parts of India for three consecutive years, affecting health, water availability, agriculture, power generation, and other sectors of the economy. Parts of India experienced record-breaking maximum temperatures in April, with Kerala reporting at least five deaths due to suspected heat stroke.
Similar heat waves, which are predicted to occur once every 30 years, have become about 45 times more likely due to climate change, according to 'World Weather Attribution', a group of leading climate scientists. Experts say those working outdoors, the elderly, and children are at higher risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 166,000 people died as a result of heat waves between 1998 and 2017. India reported 3,812 deaths due to heat waves between 2015 and 2022, with Andhra Pradesh alone logging 2,419 fatalities, the government told the Parliament in July last year.
Shyamal Santra of the NGO Transform Rural India noted that studies show students perform worse in tests during a "hot school year" compared to a "cool school year". With 15 percent of government schools in India lacking a functional electricity connection and many being single-classroom schools, heat waves disproportionately affect rural educational outcomes.
Inadequate cold-chain infrastructure means extreme heat can cause major damage to fresh produce. Studies indicate that India faces food losses worth USD 13 billion annually, with only four percent of fresh produce covered by cold chain facilities.
According to a World Bank report, India could account for 34 million of the projected 80 million global job losses due to heat stress-associated productivity decline by 2030.
