6 States Account For 67% Heat Wave Days

Bihar (18 days) has the most number of heatwave days in 2023, followed by Andhra Pradesh (15 days), Odisha (15 days), Jharkhand (13 days), West Bengal (8 days) and Tamil Nadu (6 days).

The number of heatwave days in east and southern peninsular India during peak summer in 2023 almost doubled and accounted for nearly two-thirds of the total heatwave days experienced across the country, the latest data released by the National Statistical Office showed.

It comes even as the total number of heat wave days across the country declined by more than 40 per cent to 111 days in 2023 from 190 in the preceding year.

The latest environment data by NSO shows that among the 24 states and Union Territories, Bihar (18 days) has the most number of heatwave days in 2023, up from 6 days in 2022.

It was followed by Andhra Pradesh (15 days), Odisha (15 days), Jharkhand (13 days), West Bengal (8 days) and Tamil Nadu (6 days). These six states accounted for 67 per cent of the total heat wave days in 2023.

Meanwhile, the states in the north and western part of the country saw a sharp decline in the number of heatwave days during the year.

While Rajasthan had only 3 heatwave days in 2023, down from 26 days in 2022; the number of heatwave days in Delhi and Haryana stood at 4 and 5, down from 17 and 24, respectively.

According to the India Meteorological Department, a heatwave is declared if the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius or more for plains, 37 degrees Celsius or more for coastal stations, and at least 30 degrees Celsius or more for hilly regions for two or more days.

A World Bank report released last year indicated that India is expected to suffer 2.5 to 4.5 per cent of GDP loss by 2030 from the lost labour hours owing to extreme heat and humidity conditions.

According to the report, 40 per cent of India's GDP is dependent on heat-exposed work and by 2030, 34 million of 80 million job losses due to productivity decline from heat stress will be from India.

On the other hand, the number of cold wave days experienced during the winter season also declined to 33 days in 2023 from 49 days in 2022.

Delhi registered the highest number of cold wave days (5 days), followed by Haryana (4 days), Rajasthan (4 days) and Uttar Pradesh (3 days).

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com