India at 46 Degrees Celsius, Death Toll Surges

Indian Government Underreports Death Toll
Risk of Life-Threatening Heatwaves Increases 30-Fold
"Urgent Measures Needed to Prevent Heatwave Disaster"

In India, early heatwaves have caused more than 100 deaths, resulting in continuous damage.

Bloomberg reported on the 26th (local time) that the risk of heatwaves threatening human survival due to climate change has increased about 30 times, but the Indian government's measures are insufficient to prevent such disasters.

According to the media, temperatures in India soared to 46 degrees Celsius this month, causing the number of deceased bodies at some crematoriums to more than double. Papu Pandey, a priest working at a crematorium near the Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh, northern India, said, "When the heatwave peaked in mid-month, the number of deaths reached nearly 50 per day," adding, "Except for the COVID-19 outbreak, I have not seen so many deaths in 20 years." He further stated, "The heatwave is like a curse from God." According to Pandey, whose main task has become counting the bodies entering the crematorium, most of the people who lost their lives due to the heatwave were elderly vulnerable groups exposed to the heat for a long time.

The heatwave in India is likely to continue for the time being. Experts estimate that the probability of extreme heatwaves occurring in India has increased about 30 times due to climate change. The World Bank (WB) also identified India as the first place where heatwaves exceeding human survival limits will occur.

However, the Indian government is unable to properly count even the number of deaths caused by the heatwave. For example, in Bihar, where a recent heatwave occurred, the number of deaths counted by the government in 2019 is estimated to be only about 52% of the actual victims. The Indian government has counted 11,000 deaths due to heatwaves from 2012 to 2021, but the actual number of deaths is expected to far exceed this.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi instructed a review of heatwave countermeasures at a high-level meeting in March. However, local Indian media reported that patients suffering from heatstroke symptoms such as high fever and diarrhea surged, and power supply was not smooth, making it difficult for Indian medical facilities to meet demand. There is also criticism that the government's public heatwave warnings were not properly issued in advance.

The heatwave in India is also expected to cause significant losses to the Indian economy, which is considered a future economic powerhouse surpassing China. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, labor losses due to heatwaves in jobs requiring outdoor work such as construction and agriculture could reach 4.5% of India's gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030.

An official from an Indian research institute said, "Heatwaves have historically received less attention compared to other disasters," adding, "The recent number of deaths strongly reminds us of the need for government preemptive measures."