As the current heatwave in India and Pakistan continues to increase and gather strength, one observer has described it as a ‘preview of hell’, with temperatures set to rise to 50C.
The heatwave that has already killed scores of people – likely more than official figures – in India, and Pakistan is set to reach a significant point tomorrow as temperatures are expected to reach and potentially breach 50C, according to the UK Met Office.
On Saturday, the milestone temperature is expected to be reached in the Pakistani city of Jacobabad, with huge swathes of the rest of that part of the world expected to be around the 40C mark as well.
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These temperatures are significantly above expected levels for this time of the year, and give further credence to the argument that the climate crisis is causing these extreme weather events.
There is an expected period of respite on Sunday and for the start of the next week, before temperatures are expected to pick back up to similar levels once again – potentially reaching even higher – the following weekend.
Met Office meteorologist Nick Silkstone said: “These values are around 5-7C above average for the time of year.”
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The heatwave has been raging on and off since March, which was the hottest reported March for more than 100 years in India.
So far, a reported 25 people have died in India, but the figure is much more likely to be higher if the extreme heat’s effect on those who have existing illness is considered.
The overall death toll has not been calculated.
Silkstone added: “The extreme heat poses risks for local communities and adds to the threat of wider environmental impacts, such as wildfires and the threat of glacial lakes creating flash flooding events as the ice in front of these lakes gives way due to the extreme heat.”
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Sharing a picture of the Met Office forecast to Reddit, one user said: “A recent heatwave in Pakistan and India.
“Feels like a preview of hell.”
While it’s not absolutely proven that the heatwave is an effect of climate change, climate scientists are concerned that these sorts of events are becoming more frequent across the world as the global temperature rises.
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A landmark document produced last August by the United Nations said: “It is virtually certain that hot extremes (including heatwaves) have become more frequent and more intense across most land regions since the 1950s.”
That report concluded that there is ‘high confidence’ that human-driven climate change is the reason behind this.
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Topics: Weather, World News, Climate Change
Tom Wood