The El Niño phenomenon, which has become a significant issue this year due to rising global temperatures and severe droughts, may kill 15,800 people in India by the end of February. This conclusion is based on a report from the Climate Impact Lab at the University of Chicago that has recently been published.
Serious Risks from El Niño
According to this report, in addition, it is predicted that between June and February of next year, about 451,000 additional deaths worldwide will occur due to conditions caused by El Niño compared to normal years. El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon that occurs every two to seven years at the end of the year, with its intensity varying depending on existing conditions.
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El Niño is typically considered a strong phenomenon when sea surface temperatures along the western coast of South America are more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above average. In July of this year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) observed temperature increases of over 3 degrees Celsius in the eastern and central Pacific.
Social and Economic Consequences
The Climate Impact Lab report warns that this heat will be more dangerous in areas that are already hot and relatively poor, predicting that countries in the Global South will face increased heat-related mortality. To mitigate these risks, governments need to focus on various methods such as heat warnings, irrigation programs, setting up cooling centers, and increasing hospital capacity.
Abhiyant Tyari, a heat expert at NRDC India who was not involved in this study, says that the predictions of this report should be seen as a call to action, not just a reason for concern. He also emphasized that implementing programs designed to combat heat remains challenging.
Tyari added, "The true measure of our preparedness is not in the number of heat warnings, but in the effectiveness of protecting people and reducing preventable deaths."
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