84% of Indian districts at risk of heatwaves, 70% prone to extreme rainfall

Over 84 per cent of Indian districts are prone to extreme heat waves and 70 per cent of those are witnessing increased frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events, a study by IPE-Global and GIS company Esri India said on Tuesday.

The study projects that eight out of 10 Indians will be exposed to extreme events by 2036.

IPE Global, Climate Change and Sustainability Practice, Head Abinash Mohanty, said that the current trend of catastrophic extreme heat and rainfall events is a result of 0.6 degree Celcius temperature rise in the last century.

Recent Kerala landslides triggered by incessant and erratic rainfall episodes and the cities getting paralysed with sudden and abrupt downpour is a testament that climate is changed. Our analysis suggests that 8 out of 10 Indians will be highly exposed to extreme events by 2036, Mohanty said.

According to the study, the frequency, intensity, and unpredictability of these extreme heat and rainfall events have also risen in recent ...