India Faces 40,000 Suspected Heat Stroke Cases, 100+ Deaths By Mid-June: UN Report

As of mid-June 2024, India has reported 40,000 suspected heat stroke cases and over 100 deaths since the beginning of summer, according to a report from the United Nations Call to Action on Extreme Heat.

“In the past 100 days alone, we witnessed heat-related deaths in countries from Saudi Arabia to India, heatstroke warnings across Japan, severe heat warnings issued by governments in Southeast Europe, and new temperature records across the United States,” the Call to Action said.

The UN declaration came a day after the Earth Sciences ministry informed the Lok Sabha that the 15th Finance Commission did not expand the scope of disasters eligible for financial assistance, so extreme heat is not considered a natural disaster.

The ministry also noted that heat wave deaths are decreasing due to improved weather prediction.

Modelled estimates show that from 2000 to 2019, there were about 4,89,000 heat-related deaths annually, with 45% in Asia and 36% in Europe, according to the UN. In 2022, heat exposure caused labor capacity losses equivalent to $863 billion.

As per the report, the Secretary-General has called for action on extreme heat in four areas: caring for the vulnerable, protecting workers, boosting economic and societal resilience, and limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C.