Latest news with #heatrisk
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
NM Environment Department proposes rule aimed at preventing heat illness for workers
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – With triple-digit heat coming to New Mexico soon, a proposed rule from the state's Environmental Department would require employers to establish a heat risk and illness plan for workers, and it's drawing mixed reactions. Officials look to stop spread of screwworm fly Employers would be required to conduct a heat exposure assessment and implement control measures like access to water, paid rest breaks, cooling areas, and personnel monitoring. At Wednesday night's town hall meeting, some were questioning why we need state regulation when there are already OSHA standards in place to keep employees who work in the heat safe. They also mentioned how much it will cost taxpayers. 'Not that we don't care as employers for our people, because we're already taking those provisions to do those control measures that are necessary. I don't feel like we've fully taken all of those things into consideration. Especially how taxpayers will be impacted,' said a speaker. If adopted, the rule would take effect July 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Delhi's ‘real feel' temperature hits 48.5C as humidity fuels heat stress
Delhi 's oppressive heat has surged to dangerous levels, with a heat index – or "real feel" temperature – reaching 48.5C on Monday despite the actual air temperature being 40.8C. The spike, driven by high humidity levels between 44 and 74 per cent, made the day feel significantly hotter than the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department. The Indian capital's wet bulb temperature, another metric used to assess heat stress, was recorded at 28.87C. If this crosses 32C, even fit and acclimatised individuals may struggle to stay safe outdoors. At 35C, humans can no longer cool themselves effectively, risking heatstroke or collapse. May is typically the driest and hottest month in Delhi, with low humidity and high temperatures. Experts blame a series of western disturbances, which brought cyclonic circulations and moisture incursion from the Arabian Sea, for raising humidity across northwest India. The combination of heat and humidity has been getting worse for Delhi over the years. A new analysis by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water notes that humidity in Delhi has risen by 9 per cent since 2011. The analysis, released on Tuesday, lists Delhi among the 10 most heat-risk regions in India, with over half of its districts now classified as 'very high risk'. 'It's not just about hotter days, nights aren't cooling down enough, worsening heat stress for millions,' the report warns, noting that Delhi now sees six more 'very warm' nights each summer than a decade ago. Delhi's power demand reflects the strain, hitting 7,265MW on Monday afternoon, the highest in the May 1–19 period in four years. High population density, shrinking green cover and the dominance of concrete are feeding Delhi's growing urban heat island effect, which traps heat and prevents night-time cooling, the report said. This intense humid heat comes almost a year after Delhi's Mungeshpur locality recorded a temperature of over 50C in June 2024. The weather department later said it was likely due to a sensor error, revising the figure down to around 49C. Indian health ministry figures showed over 40,000 suspected heatstroke cases and at least 110 deaths between March and June last year, with most districts in the country facing high heatwave risk. Experts say underreporting remains a major issue. This year, severe conditions are once again being felt across northern India. The met department has forecast some relief for Delhi through the week, with chances of light rain and gusty winds. But high humidity is expected to persist, keeping heat stress levels dangerously elevated. Delhi's heatwave is part of a wider pattern. Pakistan's Sindh province recently reported temperatures as high as 49C and multiple regions across Asia, Africa and the Americas have already experienced deadly heat this year. The World Meteorological Organisation has confirmed 2024 as the warmest year ever recorded globally, with average temperatures 1.55C above pre-industrial levels. With oceans warmer than ever and El Niño amplifying surface heat, scientists say 2025 may continue to bring record-breaking events unless urgent emissions cuts are made. As urban heat stress intensifies, experts emphasise the need for local heat action plans, early warning systems, and infrastructure upgrades. Vulnerable populations, particularly outdoor workers, the elderly, and children, remain at highest risk. Delhi may see some respite in the coming days, according to the national forecaster, as an early onset of monsoon is expected to bring temperatures down by the end of May.
Reuters
20-05-2025
- Health
- Reuters
Majority of Indian districts face high heatwave risk, study shows
NEW DELHI, May 20 (Reuters) - Nearly 60% of Indian districts, home to three-quarters of the population, face a "high to very high" risk from extreme heat, with rising night-time temperatures and humidity compounding the health impact, a study has found. The report, published on Tuesday by the New Delhi-based Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) think tank, analysed climate, health, and infrastructure data to calculate a heat-risk score. "About 57 per cent of Indian districts, home to 76 per cent of India's total population, are currently at high to very high heat risk," the study found, with the heat risk in the capital New Delhi among the highest. The study comes as some parts of north India continue to grapple with heatwave and severe heatwave conditions. Billions of people across South Asia grapple with soaring temperatures each year, a trend scientists say has been exacerbated by human-driven climate change. The study also flagged a rise in relative humidity across north India, including in traditionally arid regions, which worsens heat stress on the human body by slowing the process of sweating and making it harder to release heat as temperatures soar. Factoring in more dimensions like humidity and demographics in heat risk planning, and creating a national repository of heat action plans for cross-learning between states are among the measures the study recommends to "bridge the heat resilience gap". India recorded more than 40,000 suspected heatstroke cases and at least 110 confirmed deaths between March 1 and June 18 last year, when its northwestern and eastern parts recorded more than twice the usual number of heatwave days.
Japan Times
14-05-2025
- Health
- Japan Times
Harmfully hot days for pregnant women in Japan nearly doubled over past five years
Extreme heat has increased the risks of preterm births and other pregnancy complications in Japan, with climate change helping to nearly double the number of days that are harmfully hot for pregnant women in the past five years, new research by a U.S. climate scientists' group has shown. A report released Wednesday by Climate Central, a nonprofit science and communications organization, says the number of 'pregnancy heat-risk days' — or days when maximum temperatures exceed 95% of historic local temperatures — has gone up by 15 days to 33 days on average per year. The research, part of the group's analysis of temperature data from 2020 to 2024 across 247 countries and territories and 940 cities worldwide, shows some prefectures and cities bore the brunt of climate change more severely than others. For example, by prefecture, Okinawa saw the biggest increase in pregnancy heat-risk days due to climate change, with 36 days added annually to bring the total to 42 days. It was followed by Tokyo, which saw 28 days added for a total of 43 days, and Kagoshima, which saw 22 days added for a total of 33 days. By city, Osaka saw the biggest jump in the number of such dangerously hot days, with climate change attributed to 70% of its 33 days in total, followed by a 64% increase in Kyoto and a 57% surge in Kobe. The findings for Japan are in sync with the trend worldwide. In most countries and territories, climate change at least doubled the annual number of pregnancy heat-risk days, compared to a world without climate change, the analysis shows. 'Extreme heat is now one of the most pressing threats to pregnant people worldwide, pushing more pregnancies into high-risk territory, especially in places already struggling with limited health care access,' said Dr. Bruce Bekkar, a women's health physician, in a statement. 'Cutting fossil fuel emissions isn't just good for the planet — it's a crucial step toward protecting pregnant people and newborns around the world.' Extreme heat is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, who produce a lot of energy for the fetus and the placenta, thereby making it difficult for them to naturally cool down, said Takeo Fujiwara, a professor and public health expert at the Institute of Science Tokyo, who was not involved in the study. 'They are more likely to sweat, but prolonged exposure to severe heat raises the risk of dehydration and heat stroke for them.' Pregnant women exposed to extreme heat are also more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as the premature rupture of the amniotic sac, premature placental separation and bleeding, Fujiwara said. Heat stress can also raise the risks of stillbirths, miscarriages, preterm births and low-weight births, as well as congenital abnormalities for the babies, he added. Pregnant women should be mindful of these health risks during the summer and make sure they use air conditioners and fans, while taking frequent water breaks and avoiding going out during the hotter times of the day, Fujiwara said.
