According to a study, the heat which was hot in western Europe in 2003 and in Russia in 2010 is becoming common in India. In Europe and Russia, around 1,000 people were killed and crops were destroyed due to the scorching heat.
The report, published in a magazine called “Scientific Reports”, identifies key factors for heavy heat in India. The study looked at changes in frequency and intensity of scorching heat between 1951–1975 and 1976–2018, incorporating data from the Indian Meteorological Department. Analyzing data collected by around 395 quality control centers across India, scientists identified mechanisms responsible for extreme temperatures in the country
The study group also included scientists from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune. The lead author of the study, Manish Kumar Joshi, said that it is clear from the findings that except in the plains of the Ganges, there has been a significant increase in the number of hot days all over India. Joshi is associated with IITM.
According to the researchers, between 1976 and 2018, there was an average of 10 days of heavy heat during April – June in large parts of the country, excluding the Gangetic plains. He said that this number is about 25 percent more than the period 1951-1975.
He said that before the climate change of 1976 there has been a significant increase in the number of hot days in the eastern and southern parts of India. The study noted that after this climate change, hot days have increased in the north-western parts of the interior peninsula and areas along the west coast. Joshi and his team believe that this reflects the spatial shift in temperature rise in India.
