With more dog days, ’23 summer TN’s deadliest in a decade

CHENNAI: The extreme temperatures witnessed in the State this summer, with mercury crossing 40 degrees Celsius on several days, has also claimed 12 lives as of June 30. This is the highest heatwave-related toll in the past nine years for Tamil Nadu, which reported only one heatwave-related death between 2015 and 2022. As per data released by Satya Pal Singh Baghel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, in the ongoing Parliament session, a total of 13 persons died due to heatwaves in Tamil Nadu.

This is in comparison to one death in 2019 and nil deaths from 2015 to 2018, and 2020 to 2022. Even when more than 1,400 persons died due to heat waves in Andhra Pradesh in 2015, Tamil Nadu recorded nil deaths. Responding to a question by MP S Ramalingam in Lok Sabha, the Minister said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issues heatwave alerts, which are shared with the states to ensure health facility preparedness and follow-up. “The Union Health Ministry also released Guidelines on Strengthening Health System Preparedness for Heat-Related Illnesses (HRI) including preparedness, control and management in April 2023,” he added. It may be noted that the temperature in several TN cities, including Chennai, went close to 43 degree Celsius on several days, forcing the TN government to issue heat wave warnings and directions to industries to safeguard their employees.

The Director of Industrial Safety and Health circular in May instructed the builders to reschedule working hours for the workers exposed to direct sunlight and provide adequate drinking water. Meanwhile, Chennai had crossed the safe level of wet bulb temperature, which is 30 degree Celsius on several days in June for the first time. Among the states, Kerala recorded the highest number of heatwave deaths.

As many as 120 persons died due to the heatwave- related illness in the neighbouring state. Gujarat and Telangana recorded 35 and 20 deaths respectively. Prabhakaran Veeraarasu, environmental engineer Poovulagin Nanbargal, said temperature above 40 degrees Celsius in plains is considered a heat wave. Experts warn that the strongest El Nino formed in the Pacific Ocean will cause extreme temperatures across the globe in 2024. In 2015, when El Nino was stronger, India recorded 2,040 heatwave deaths, which is the highest number of fatalities in the last nine years.