NEW DELHI (CU)_Over the recent years, countries across the globe have been reporting extreme weather conditions, from floods to heat waves, bushfires and volcanic eruptions. The people of South Asia, particularly those in India and Pakistan, are not strangers to record-high heat conditions as furnace-like temperatures are an annual occurrence in these countries. However, this year, the extreme weather conditions have arrived at the region sooner than anticipated.
Millions of people across India are currently sweltering in a dangerous early summer heat wave, which has now caused power and water shortages in the region. In parts of New Delhi, temperatures crossed 45C (113F), and the public has been warn that it will get even hotter this weekend. Since 2010, over 6,500 Indians have been killed by heat waves, which have now become harsher and more frequent as a result of climate change.
“This is the first time I’ve seen such horrible weather in April. Usually, we’re prepared for this in May and onwards,” Somya Mehra, a 30-year-old housewife from Delhi told the Guardian. “Today we stepped out because of our anniversary but otherwise I’m not stepping out at all. I’ve stopped sending my kid out to play.”
Power cuts were imposed on factories in the state of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, as the consumption of fans and air conditioning grew. Water shortages were also reported in many regions, where the situation is only expected to worsen until the annual monsoon rains in June and July.
In neighbouring Pakistan, temperatures peaked at 48C in parts of rural Sindh on Wednesday. In country where the agriculture makes the largest contribution to the GDP, farmers have been forced to use water sparingly. “Public health and agriculture in the country will face serious threats due to the extreme temperature this year,” Sherry Rehman, Climate Change Minister in Islamabad, said.
