More than 1.53 lakh deaths a year associated with heatwaves around the world: Study

New Delhi: More than 1.53 lakh deaths a year were associated with heatwaves around the world, the greatest share coming from India, according to new research led by Monash University of Australia.

India was followed by China and Russia, with each experiencing roughly 14 per cent and 8 per cent of these heatwave-linked excess deaths, respectively.

The study, led by Monash University, Australia, found that heatwave-linked excess deaths accounted for about a third of all heat-related deaths and 1 per cent of total deaths globally.

The study, published in PLOS Medicine and led by Monash University’s Professor Yuming Guo, looked at data on daily deaths and temperature from 750 locations in 43 countries or regions.

The study, published in PLOS Medicine and led by Monash University’s Professor Yuming Guo, looked at data on daily deaths and temperature from 750 locations in 43 countries or regions.

The study—done in collaboration with Shandong University in China, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in UK, and universities/research institutes from other countries- found that, from 1990–2019, heat waves led to an increase in deaths of 236 deaths per ten million residents per warm season of a year.

Locations with tropical climate or low incomes were observed with the greatest decline in heat wave-related mortality burden from 1990 to 2019.

According to Professor Guo, in previous studies looking at increased deaths related to heat wave exposure, “the evidence mainly comes from limited locations.”

“Our findings that heat waves are associated with substantial mortality burden that varies spatiotemporally over the globe in the past 30 years suggest that there should be localized adaptation planning and risk management across all government levels.”