Severe heat waves scorch India more often during this decade

The number of severe heat waves in the country has been increasing significantly in India since 2010. This shows the effects of global warming affecting the country and the reasons for the adverse weather conditions in the past few years.

Many areas of the country viz, North, Northwest, Central and Northeast Peninsula have experienced 8 or more Heat Wave(HW) days on an average per season.

Between 2001 to 2010 there were 98 severe heat waves all across India. A decade prior to that it nearly half that at 48 severe heat waves and 45 heat waves between 1981 to 1990.

“Compared to previous four decades, there was noticeable increase in the Severe Heat Wave (SHW) days over the country during the past fifteen years. The past decade is the warmest decade for the country as well as for the globe,” said Y S Chowdary, Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply to a Question in the Rajya Sabha.