April heat wave in N India caused by human-driven climate change: Study
Dehradun: The early arrival of the heatwave in April, scorching large parts of India and Pakistan with temperatures exceeding 40°C across North India and reaching 49°C in parts of Pakistan, was largely driven by human-induced climate change, finds a study by climate experts from several countries.
An analysis by ClimaMeter, a France-based climate monitoring organisation, revealed that the heatwave was fuelled by weather patterns that are now up to 4°C warmer than similar events in the past, primarily due to global warming. These meteorological conditions, including temperature, wind, and air pressure, occur with similar frequency as before, but now unfold in a much warmer climate. Natural climate variability played only a minor role, with the current El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle in a neutral phase.
The study highlights that the 2025 heatwave was not only unusually early but also alarmingly intense. Cities such as New Delhi and Jaipur saw temperatures up to 5°C above normal. In the national capital, daily highs repeatedly crossed 40°C, disrupting daily life and overwhelming electricity and water systems. In Rajasthan and neighbouring states, outdoor workers and farmers bore the brunt, with rising cases of heatstroke and dehydration.
ClimaMeter's findings pointed to surface pressure anomalies and extremely dry, calm conditions as key triggers for the extreme heat. Data from 1987–2023, compared to records from 1950–1986, confirmed a clear warming trend. Urban centres such as New Delhi and Islamabad are now up to 3°C warmer, intensified by the
urban heat island effect
.
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here]
Esseps
Learn More
Undo
Beyond health impacts, the heatwave also severely affected agriculture, damaging crops vulnerable to early-season heat stress. Power demand spiked, causing widespread outages, and increased groundwater extraction during the crisis further strained regional aquifers.
The findings align with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Sixth Assessment Report (IPCC AR6), which links the rising frequency, intensity and duration of heatwaves in South Asia to climate change and rapid urbanisation. The report warns that such extreme weather events are becoming "commonplace" and will continue to threaten millions unless urgent mitigation and adaptation efforts are taken.
Experts have urged long-term policy shifts focused on climate resilience, sustainable urban planning, and robust heat-action plans especially in fast-growing Indian cities already under pressure from rising populations and dwindling resources.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
7 hours ago
- India Today
Yellow alert in Mumbai as city braces for rain, thunderstorm
The Indian weather forecasting body on Saturday issued a yellow alert for light to moderate spells of rain, accompanied by wind speeds reaching up to 40 kmph in Mumbai, Palghar, Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Thane during the next four hours. People have been advised to take precautions while stepping outside, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) a red alert was issued in Mumbai between 3 pm and 6 pm. A red alert is issued in the event of extreme weather conditions that can pose serious risks to life and infrastructure, and disrupt travel. On the other hand, a yellow alert signifies minor month, the monsoon arrived early with Mumbai breaking a 107-year-old record for receiving the highest rainfall in the month of May. As heavy rains lashed Mumbai, several places reported waterlogging, resulting in traffic snarls across the city, hitting rail services and bringing life to a the last week of May, the southwest monsoon set in, marking its earliest arrival in the last 69 years, the IMD per the weather forecasting body, the monsoon this year arrived early, 16 days ahead of its scheduled date of June 11, a first in 69 many as 250 flights were hit as a result of the unprecedented rains in the city last showed commuters wading through knee-deep water. Several low-lying areas, including Kurla, Sion, Dadar, and Parel, were submerged following the relentless rainfall. Tune InMust Watch
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Flood situation improves in northeast; three die in Manipur
GUWAHATI: The flood situation in the northeastern region improved in the last 24 hours but the toll continues. According to Manipur's Directorate of Relief and Disaster Management, the State was dry on Friday, barring two areas, which experienced light rainfall. The rivers in receding mode, however, proved fatal for three persons, taking the death toll in rain-induced disasters across the region to 55. Assam recorded the most fatalities with 21 victims of floods and landslides, followed by 12 in Arunachal Pradesh, six in Meghalaya and Mizoram, four in Manipur, three in Sikkim, two in Tripura, and one in Nagaland. Nine persons, including a BJP Mahila Morcha leader from Odisha, are feared dead in Sikkim after the vehicle they were travelling in fell about 1,000 feet into the Teesta River on May 29. A Guwahati-based doctor, believed to have been caught in a landslide, has been missing in Arunachal Pradesh since May 31. While 1.66 lakh people continue to be affected by floods in Manipur, mostly in the Imphal Valley, the number of flood-hit people in Assam reduced by about 1.2 lakh to 4.44 lakh across 18 districts. A flood bulletin provided by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority said the Brahmaputra and four other rivers have been at certain stretches. 'We are currently operating 328 relief camps and relief distribution centres for 1.59 lakh people, who are yet to return home,' a spokesperson of the authority said.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
World Environment Day: India needs to mitigate the climate change threat to agriculture
Written by Renuka Chowdhury On World Environment Day, it is crucial to emphasise the relationship between agriculture in India, food security, and the increasing risks posed by climate change. Agriculture in India is becoming more susceptible to climate change, with variable and extreme weather patterns impacting crop yields and affecting the livelihoods of many farmers. The climate-induced stress has compounded existing agrarian distress, particularly for small and marginal farmers, and those with limited resources to adapt in tribal and aspirational districts, like Khammam in Telangana. While the government has initiated reforms and structured policies to build climate resilience in the agriculture sector, these mostly remain scattered and are implemented without a mission-mode approach. With climate change among the biggest threats to the agriculture sector, we need a comprehensive, well-funded national initiative that integrates adaptation and mitigation into agricultural planning. The Climate Transparency Report 2021 warns that with a temperature increase of 1–4°C, rice production could decline by 10–30 per cent and maize production by 25–70 per cent. This would directly affect food security. The government's own projection highlights that in the absence of adaptation measures, paddy and wheat yields may drop by 20 per cent, and maize by 18 per cent by 2050. As many as 310 districts have been identified as vulnerable to climate change. Khammam, a predominantly tribal district, is one such hotspot. While the projections may be for 2050, the telling tales of impending disaster are already before us. Each year, Khammam faces unseasonal heavy hailstorms in March and April, leading to heavy crop losses. Chilli production in the state has declined by over 100,000 tonnes in just one year, with major chilli-growing districts like Khammam witnessing major yield drops. Khammam is not alone. This trend extends across India. In Jammu and Kashmir, saffron production has plummeted by 67.5 per cent between 2010–11 and 2023–24. The Assam and Darjeeling tea industries are grappling with reduced productivity and shifts in quality. Data suggest that 80 per cent of Indian farmers have suffered crop losses due to adverse climatic events between 2019 and 2024. There is enough evidence to say that we need a new strategy to mitigate the impact of climate change on agriculture. I suggest three ways to go about this. First, we need wider adoption of the 2,900 climate-adaptive crop varieties developed by the National Agricultural Research System. The Union government must proactively facilitate the accessibility, availability and affordability of these climate-resilient seeds across all 310 climate-vulnerable districts, tailored to local agro-climatic conditions and cropping patterns. This should include direct support mechanisms such as seed subsidies, targeted extension services, and timely distribution through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and agricultural cooperatives. Local governance institutions like panchayats must be mobilised to lead mass awareness campaigns on climate-smart agricultural practices. Strategic collaborations between agricultural universities, NGOs, and local extension agents can amplify outreach. Second, the much-touted Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) must evolve to explicitly integrate climate change considerations into its risk coverage framework. While the scheme currently covers weather-related crop loss, it does not adequately account for productivity losses stemming from long-term and extreme climate variability. As an MP, I had raised this question in Parliament, calling for a forward-looking insurance model that reflects the complex risks farmers face today. The idea has gained global prominence now. Recently, even the European Commission, while highlighting the huge agricultural loss of €28.3 billion annually due to climate change, has advocated for climate-related risk insurance coverage for farmers. India must take the lead in pioneering climate-responsive agricultural insurance models by incorporating climate risk modelling, developing region-specific climate indices, and piloting parametric insurance instruments that disburse compensation based on clearly defined weather thresholds. Data suggest that only 20 per cent of farmers receive timely financial support under the PMFBY, and there are structural deficiencies like delayed claim settlements, difficulties in assessing crop damage, high cost of premium, and verifying yield data. I have personally witnessed such failures in Khammam, where hundreds of small and marginal farmers narrated stories of repeated delays, unresponsive insurance agents, and rejected claims despite evident crop loss. Third, the need of the hour is to embrace innovative and adaptive approaches to climate action in agriculture. One such approach that merits serious policy deliberation is the introduction of Index-Based Cash Transfers (IBCTs), particularly in climate-vulnerable districts. A successful example is the Agriculture and Climate Risk Enterprise (ACRE) in Africa, which implemented a mobile-enabled, input-linked index insurance programme. In this model, smallholder farmers receive climate-triggered payouts via mobile money, demonstrating the effectiveness of using localised weather data and public–private partnerships to build farmer resilience. Each crop and region presents unique challenges, requiring data-backed, locally contextualised solutions. Evidence-based decision-making must reflect the realities of each agro-climatic zone. The paths we chart today will not only safeguard the interests of our producers and consumers, but will also go miles in delivering climate justice to our farmers. The writer is a Rajya Sabha MP from the Indian National Congress and former Union Cabinet Minister
