Delhi Heatwave Update: Temperatures in the national capital and surrounding regions continue to soar, touching around 45 degrees Celsius. However, the heat is no longer fading after sunset. Residents face relentless heat around the clock, with hot winds continuing to blow late into the night.
This raises a serious question: Why is Delhi-NCR experiencing such intense heat? Is this just a temporary heatwave, or is it becoming our 'new normal'?
Why Is Delhi-NCR So Hot?
The biggest reason for such intense heat isn't just the weather, but the infrastructure of the cities themselves. According to a report by Jagran.com, citing environmental scientists, large cities like Delhi have become Urban Heat Islands. This means the city actively traps and generates heat within itself.
Throughout the day, asphalt roads, concrete buildings, flyovers, and other dense structures absorb the sun's intense heat. When the night falls, instead of cooling down, these structures slowly release the stored heat back into the air.
This is why nights are no longer providing the relief they once did.
Another major reason for this intense heat is the reduction in the city's green cover and natural water sources.
According to the meteorologists, Delhi has lost a significant portion of its dense tree cover and water bodies over the past decade. The region's green cover, which once hovered around 25 to 29 per cent, has now decreased to around 15 per cent. As trees and water bodies act as a natural cooling system for the environment, their reduction has left the city without its primary defence against rising temperatures, causing the heat to intensify further.
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Difference Between Day And Night Temperature Decreased
Previously, the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures in Delhi was about 12.5 degrees Celsius. In recent years, however, this gap has dropped to around 9 degrees Celsius, meaning nights are becoming increasingly hot.
The human is no longer able to cool down and recover as it once did on summer nights.
Threat Of Heat Stress
According to meteorologists and environmental scientists, constant exposure to high temperatures goes far beyond physical discomfort; it has severe, adverse effects on the human body. This is known as heat stress.
When individuals work in extreme heat all day and cannot rest in a cool environment at night, their body temperatures cannot return to normal. Over time, this can lead to serious health complications, including heart disease, cognitive impairment, and muscle damage.
This crisis is even more serious in Delhi, where a large population are forced to work in the open. For street vendors, rickshaw pullers, vegetable sellers, and construction workers, the severe heatwave is no longer just a weather issue; it is a direct threat to both their health and their daily livelihood.
What's The Way Ahead?
Experts believe that simply issuing alerts when a heatwave arrives is no longer enough. To combat these long-term challenges, cities must build permanent heat resilience through targeted strategies:
- Increasing green cover in cities.
- Restoring water bodies.
- Incorporating more shade and ventilation into building designs.
- Adopting cool roof technology, which reduces the heat on roofs.
- Developing a warning system based on the heat index.
(With Inputs From Jagran.com)