New Delhi: The number of 'dangerous humid heat days' has increased significantly across India, from an average of 101 such days a year in the 1970s to 141 days a year during 2016-2025, according to a new global study.
The study, released by the US-based NGO Climate Central, attributed the increase primarily to human-induced climate crisis. Globally, the number of such days has risen from 10 a year in the 1970s to 23 a year in the last decade (2016-25).
The study covered 254 countries and territories and 961 cities worldwide, and found a sharp increase in dangerous humid heat days across Indian cities. In Delhi, the number rose from 96 days in the 1970s to 135 in 2016-25. In Mumbai, it rose from 136 to 206 over the same period, and in Chennai, from 205 to 257.
Nearly two-thirds (64%) of global dangerous humid heat days since 1970 can be attributed to human-caused climate change, the study said. It said these conditions put many people at risk of heat-related illnesses.
“While high temperatures pose risks to everyone, older adults, children, pregnant people, individuals with underlying health conditions, and people without access to cooling face disproportionately greater dangers. Humidity only piles on to the risks, making even seemingly mild days far more dangerous than they appear,” the study added.
