Climate Toll in India: Heat & Cold Extremes Kill 35,000 in Two Decades from heatstroke
As India faces a future of increasing climate extremes, new research reveals a stark toll already being paid. A study published in the journal Temperature has found that nearly 35,000 people died from extreme heat and cold between 2001 and 2019, with heatstroke emerging as the deadlier threat and men, particularly working-age men, disproportionately affected.
The study, led by Pradeep Guin of OP Jindal Global University (JGU), analysed temperature data from the India Meteorological Department and mortality records from the National Crime Records Bureau. The researchers found 19,693 deaths due to heatstroke and 15,197 from cold exposure over the two-decade period, with a clear increase in deaths over time. The year 2015 stood out as the deadliest year, recording 1,907 heat-related and 1,...