In one Indian city, reflective paint and bus stop sprinklers offer relief from killer heat
AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — For 20-year-old Mayank Yadav, riding a crowded bus in the summer months in this western Indian city can be like sitting in an oven. That makes it a treat when he steps off and into a bus stop outfitted with sprinklers that bathe overheated commuters in a cooling mist.
'Everyone is suffering from the heat,' Yadav said. 'I hope they do more of this across the city.'
Rising heat is a problem for millions of people in India. In Ahmedabad, temperatures this year have already reached 42 degrees Celsius (107 Fahrenheit), a level usually not seen for several more weeks, prompting city officials to advise people to stay indoors and stay hydrated.
And yet, coping with that heat is a familiar challenge in Ahmedabad. After a 2010 heat wave killed more than 1,300 people, city and health officials rushed to develop South Asia's first heat action plan.
The plan, rolled out in 2013 and now replicated across India and South Asia, includes strategies for hospitals, government officials and citizens to react immediately when temperatures rise beyond human tolerance. Public health officials said it's helped save hundreds of lives every summer.
City officials, with help from climate and health researchers, have implemented two simple yet effective solutions to help those affected most by heat: the poor and those who work outdoors. By painting tin-roofed households with reflective paint, they've reduced indoor temperatures, which otherwise might be up to 5 degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than outside. More recently, the city hung curtains woven of straw and water sprinklers at one bus stop so commuters can get relief from the sun and heat. Officials said they plan to expand the idea to other bus stops in the city.
Residents said both measures have been a relief even as they brace for at least three more months of sweltering summer.
A simple coat of paint makes all the difference
Throughout the city's low-income neighborhoods, hundreds of tin-roofed homes have been painted with reflective paint that helps keep the indoors cooler. Residents said their houses were so hot before the roofs were painted that they would spend most of their time outdoors under any shade they could find.
'Earlier, it was really difficult to sleep inside the house," said Akashbhai Thakor, who works as a delivery van driver and lives with his wife and three-month-old child in Ahmedabad. Thakor's roof was painted as part of a research project that is trying to measure the impact of the so-called cool roofs.
Early results have been promising. 'After the roof was painted, the house is much cooler, especially at night,' said Thakor.
People like Thakor are much more vulnerable to extreme heat because their houses aren't insulated and, since most of them depend on a daily wage, they must work regardless of the weather, said Priya Bhavsar of the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar, who is working on the project. Bhavsar said low-cost solutions could be the only respite for thousands of people in the city who can't afford to buy an air conditioner.
Veer Vanzara, who lives in the same area as Thakor and works in a nearby garment factory, said the heat makes his job much worse, especially since his factory has no ventilation. So his family is grateful for the cool roofs. 'The evenings and night are much cooler than before inside our house,' he said.
A bus stop that's become an oasis from the heat
In Ahmedabad's city center, a 25-meter stretch of a bus stop has been draped with mats made of straw which, when sprinkled with water, immediately cool the hot wind. Sprinklers installed on the bus stop roof lightly spray cool water on the commuters below, providing instant relief from the blazing heat just a step away.
'When nothing like this was here, it was really hot. What they've done is really good. Senior citizens like me can get some cooling from the heat,' said 77-year-old Ratilal Bhoire, who was waiting under the sprinklers with his daughter. Bhoire said when he was younger, Ahmedabad was hot, but it was still possible to walk many kilometers without feeling dizzy, even at the height of summer. 'Nowadays you can't do that,' he said.
Heat is the city's biggest problem and heat waves — continuous days of extreme heat — are increasing, said Dr. Tejas Shah of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, who oversees the city's heat action plan. 'We are in the period of climate change, and it has already shown its effect,' said Shah.
Shah and other city officials said the onset of summer has become a testing time and efforts such as cool roofs and cool bus stops are reducing heat-related illness and deaths. As climate projections predict only hotter and longer summers for his city, Shah said being prepared is the only thing to do.
'It (the heat) needs to be addressed in the proper way," he said.
___
Follow Sibi Arasu on X at @sibi123
___
The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Alaska Issued With First Ever Heat Advisory
Alaska has been issued its first ever heat advisory by the National Weather Service (NWS) as an unusual surge of high temperatures grips parts of the state. This weekend, parts of The Lost Frontier State-including areas around Fairbanks-are expected to climb into the mid-80s, with some locations potentially nearing 90 degrees Fahrenheit. "We have issued a Heat Advisory for the Fairbanks Area this Sunday afternoon/evening. Temperatures are expected to reach as high as 86F, so be sure to take extra precautions if outdoors," NWS Fairbanks wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday afternoon. The advisory underscores the intensifying impacts of climate change in even the most traditionally cold parts of the United States. Alaska's infrastructure, wildlife, and communities are not built to withstand prolonged heat, raising concerns about public health, wildfires, and ecosystem disruption. Heat stress is the leading weather-related cause of death, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Temperatures will be pushed into the mid-to-upper 80s by Sunday. This is around 10 to 15 degrees above average for the region where normal highs in Fairbanks sit around 72 degrees. This is officially the first heat advisory ever issued in Alaska, but there's a reason why it hasn't happened until now. As of June 2, the NWS offices in Fairbanks and Juneau were granted the authority to issue heat advisories, a change aimed at better communicating the risks posed by extreme heat in a state more familiar with subzero temperatures than sweltering afternoons. According to the new criteria, a heat advisory can be issued when temperatures are expected to reach at least 85 degrees in the interior, 80 degrees in the southeast, and 75 degrees on the North Slope. Sunday's forecast for Fairbanks and its surrounding areas barely clears that threshold, but meteorologists say that doesn't make it any less significant. Experts have warned that the state's buildings, designed to retain warmth in harsh winters, lack air conditioning and ventilation, making even moderate heat potentially dangerous. Climatologist Brian Brettschneider noted on Bluesky that these design choices, critical in winter, can pose some risks when the mercury rises. The advisory goes into effect from 1 to 7 p.m. local time on Sunday. NWS Fairbanks wrote in a post on X earlier this week: "Summer-like temperatures are expected to continue for much of Interior AK this weekend, with most areas seeing temperatures in the upper 70s & low 80s. There's a chance for some isolated showers & thunderstorms this weekend, but mainly for the eastern Interior. Enjoy AK!" Alaskans are being urged to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity, and check on vulnerable individuals. The risk is particularly acute for older adults, young children, and those with pre-existing health conditions. Related Articles Map: Cargo Ship With 3,000 Vehicles Abandoned Off Alaska IslandRare June Winter Storm to Hit Alaska with up to 13 Inches of SnowAlaska Governor: Why the Alaska LNG Pipeline Matters for South Korea's Energy Security | OpinionSome Americans to Receive $1,702 Direct Payment in June: Are You Eligible? 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
National Weather Service issues Alaska's first ever heat advisory
For the first time ever, parts of Alaska will be under a heat advisory — but you can put an asterisk at the end of that term. It's not the first instance of unusually high temperatures in what many consider the nation's coldest state, but the National Weather Service only recently allowed for heat advisories to be issued there. Information on similarly warm weather conditions previously came in the form of 'special weather statements.' Using the heat advisory label could help people better understand the weather's severity and potential danger, something a nondescript 'special weather statement' didn't convey. 4 The National Weather Service recently allowed for heat advisories to be issued in Alaska, rather than the previous form of 'special weather statements.' AP 4 People sunbathe at Goose Lake in Anchorage, Alaska in 2013. AP The first advisory is for Sunday in Fairbanks, where temperatures are expected to top 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius). Fairbanks has has been warmer in the past, but this is unusual for June, officials said. Here's what to know about Alaska's inaugural heat advisory: Why it's the first The National Weather Service's switch from special weather statements to advisories was meant to change how the public views the information. 'This is an important statement, and the public needs to know that there will be increasing temperatures, and they could be dangerous because Alaska is not used to high temperatures like these,' said Alekya Srinivasan, a Fairbanks-based meteorologist. 'We want to make sure that we have the correct wording and the correct communication when we're telling people that it will be really hot this weekend,' she said. 4 'The public needs to know that there will be increasing temperatures, and they could be dangerous because Alaska is not used to high temperatures like these,' Alekya Srinivasan, a Fairbanks-based meteorologist, said. Cavan Images – Not unprecedented and not climate change The change doesn't reflect unprecedented temperatures, with Fairbanks having reached 90 degrees twice in 2024, Srinivasan said. It's purely an administrative change by the weather service. 'It's not that the heat in the interior that prompted Fairbanks to issue this is record heat or anything like that. It's just now there's a product to issue,' said Rich Thoman, a climate specialist at the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy. Thoman also clarified that the term swap doesn't have anything to do with climate change. 'I think some of it is related to the recognition that hot weather does have an impact on Alaska, and in the interior especially,' Thoman said. Little air conditioning While the temperatures in the forecast wouldn't be considered extreme in other U.S. states, Thoman noted that most Alaska buildings don't have air conditioning. 'And just the opposite, most buildings in Alaska are designed to retain heat for most of the year,' he said. 4 According to Rich Thoman, a climate specialist at the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy, most Alaska buildings don't have air conditioning, impacting how people will handle the weather. AP People can open their windows to allow cooler air in during early morning hours — if wildfires aren't burning in blaze-prone state. But if it's smoky and the windows have to remain shut, buildings can heat up very rapidly. 'Last year was the third year in a row in Fairbanks with more than a hundred hours of visibility-reducing smoke, the first time we've ever had three consecutive years over a hundred hours,' he said. There's only been two summers in Fairbanks in the 21st century with no hours of smoke that reduced visibility, a situation he said was commonplace from the 1950s to the 1970s. What about Anchorage? The Juneau and Fairbanks weather service offices have been allowed to issue heat advisories beginning this summer, but not the office in the state's largest city of Anchorage — at least not yet. And, regardless, temperatures in the area haven't reached the threshold this year at which a heat advisory would be issued. Brian Brettschneider, a climate scientist with the weather service, said by email that the Anchorage office is working on a plan to issue such advisories in the future.
The Hill
3 hours ago
- The Hill
‘Gas station heroin' is technically illegal and widely available. Here are the facts
WASHINGTON (AP) — Health officials want you to think twice before buying one of those brightly colored little bottles often sold at gas stations, convenience stores and smoke shops. Sometimes called 'gas station heroin,' the products are usually marketed as energy shots or cognitive supplements but actually contain tianeptine, an unapproved drug that can be addictive and carries risks of serious side effects. U.S. poison control centers have reported a steady rise in calls linked to the drug for more than a decade. And last month the Food and Drug Administration sent a warning to health professionals about 'the magnitude of the underlying danger or these products.' Here's what to know about gas station heroin. Tianeptine is approved in a number foreign countries as an antidepressant, usually as a low-dose pill taken three times a day. But it has never been approved by the FDA for any medical condition in the U.S. Additionally, the drug cannot legally be added to foods and beverages or sold as a dietary supplement — something the FDA has repeatedly warned U.S. companies about. Still, under-the-radar firms sell tianeptine in various formulas, often with brand names like Zaza, Tianaa, Pegasus and TD Red. Although that is technically illegal, the FDA does not preapprove ingredients added to supplements and beverages. 'It's kind of this grey area of consumer products, or supplements, where the contents are not regulated or tested the way they would be with a medication,' said Dr. Diane Calello of the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System. Last year, Calello and her colleagues published a study documenting a cluster of emergency calls in New Jersey tied to a flavored elixir called Neptune's Fix. People experienced distress, rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure and seizures after drinking it. More than a dozen of the 20 patients had to be admitted for intensive care. Many tianeptine products claim— without evidence or FDA approval— to help users treat medical conditions, including addiction, pain and depression. In 2018, the FDA issued a warning letter to the maker of a product called Tianna, which claimed to provide 'an unparalleled solution to cravings for opiates.' While tianeptine is not an opioid, the drug binds to some of the same receptors in the brain, which can temporarily produce effects akin to oxycodone and other opioids. Tianeptine also carries some of the same physiological risks of opioids, including the potential to dangerously depress breathing. 'That's what tends to get people into trouble,' said Dr. Hannah Hays of Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. 'They use it for opioid-like effects or to self-treat opioid withdrawal and that can lead to slow breathing and problems like that.' People dealing with opioid addiction, pain, depression, anxiety and other conditions should see a health professional to get a prescription for FDA-approved treatments, Hays said. Experts aren't sure but national figures show a big rise in emergency calls involving the drug. Calls to poison control centers increased 525% between 2018 and 2023, according to a data analysis published earlier this year. In about 40% of cases, the person had to seek medical care, with more than half of them needing critical care. One explanation for the rise in calls is simply that more Americans are using the products. But experts also say that the products are triggering more emergencies as they become more potent and dangerous. And the researchers in New Jersey who analyzed Neptune's Fix found that the liquid also contained synthetic cannabis and other drugs. 'You never quite know what's in that bottle,' Calello said. 'It's important for people to know that even if they have used a product before, they could get a bottle that contains something very different from what they're looking for.' Tianeptine is not included in the federal Controlled Substances Act, which bans or restricts drugs that have no medical use or have a high potential for abuse, such as heroin, LSD and PCP. But about a dozen states have passed laws prohibiting or restricting tianeptine, including Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Tennessee. In some cases, those laws have led to more cases of withdrawal among users of tianeptine, which can be chemically addictive. But state data also shows some success in reducing harm tied to the drug. Until recently, Alabama had the highest rate of tianeptine-related calls in the southern U.S., which increased more than 1,400% between 2018 to 2021. But after the state restricted tianeptine in 2021 calls began modestly decreasing while calls across other southern states continued to climb. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
