Fatal Heat Waves Are Testing India’s Ability to Protect 1.4 Billion People

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1. From Bloomberg reporter Rajesh Kumar Singh:

   Longer and more frequent periods of extreme temperatures are exposing the nation’s flawed attempts to respond to a changing climate.

   Attempts across India to improve resilience to extreme heat have often been equally ill-conceived, despite a death toll estimated at more than 24,000 since 1992. Inconsistent or incomplete planning, a lack of funding, and the failure to make timely preparations to shield a population of 1.4 billion are leaving communities vulnerable as periods of extreme temperatures become more frequent, longer in duration and affect a wider sweep of the country.

   Several regions across India will see as many as 11 heat wave days this month compared to 3 in a typical year, while maximum temperatures in recent weeks have already touched 47.2C in the nation’s east, according to the India Meteorological Department. Those extremes come amid a national election during which high temperatures are being cited as among factors for lower voter turnout. Read the full story [here](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-05-16/india-election-2024-fatal-heat-waves-are-becoming-a-test-for-modi).