Reasons for heat wave related deaths in India

ekya

Andhra Pradesh, Telangana (referred to as Andhra Pradesh prior to 2014), Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and West Bengal saw over 5,000 deaths in the twelve-year period of 2001-12, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the total number of deaths during the period.

And the scary part is the rising number of deaths in the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana region: in the last three years, the reported number of deaths has crossed 4,912 — over three times than the entire death toll during the 12 year period of 2001- 2012.

http://www.thehindu.com/data/deadly-summers-claiming-more-lives-each-year/article8513152.ece


Does anyone know why UP, Punjab, WB, AP and Telangana account for 40% deaths due to heat waves?
Also does anyone know the reason of increase in number of deaths in AP and Telangana regions?

Trupence Grasshopper

There might be several reasons for heat wave related deaths:

1.Lack of adequate drinking water at village level. Eg combination of drought and poor irrigation systems.

2.Poor healthcare facilities in the vicinity.eg lack of doctor availibility at primary health centre

3.Lack of adequate and continuous power supply which could've been used to have a cooler environment eg ACs,Water coolers etc

4.Poor governance in handling the situation. Eg no contingency plan in place for heat wave related scenario.

5.Institutional failures.eg IMD heat wave warnings are issues based on instruments placed outside the city limits.This leads to a situation wherein the actual higher city interior temperatures which are high due to urban heat island effect are never recorded and hence heat wave warnings are seldom issued it never issued.

6 Lack of heat wave monitoring systems outside many cities. Eg Ahemedabad has a robust system which could be replicated in other cities.

7.Climate change which has increased the temperatures especially in the continental interiors


The above States have at least 2 or more than 2 of the above mentioned reasons and hence the rise in heat wave related deaths.

ekya

There might be several reasons for heat wave related deaths:

1.Lack of adequate drinking water at village level. Eg combination of drought and poor irrigation systems.

2.Poor healthcare facilities in the vicinity.eg lack of doctor availibility at primary health centre

3.Lack of adequate and continuous power supply which could've been used to have a cooler environment eg ACs,Water coolers etc

4.Poor governance in handling the situation. Eg no contingency plan in place for heat wave related scenario.

5.Institutional failures.eg IMD heat wave warnings are issues based on instruments placed outside the city limits.This leads to a situation wherein the actual higher city interior temperatures which are high due to urban heat island effect are never recorded and hence heat wave warnings are seldom issued it never issued.

6 Lack of heat wave monitoring systems outside many cities. Eg Ahemedabad has a robust system which could be replicated in other cities.

7.Climate change which has increased the temperatures especially in the continental interiors


The above States have at least 2 or more than 2 of the above mentioned reasons and hence the rise in heat wave related deaths.

Thanks for answer..

But these are more administration related points... I am looking answer from geographical/ecological viewpoint...
Is there any role of geography/ecology behind these heatwaves which caused deaths??

Trupence Grasshopper

As far as geographical and ecological points are concerned I can think of only these

1.Climate change
2.Drought
3.Excess deforestation causing local temperature spikes
if you want more specific reasons you could refer IMD website for exact climatological phenomenon which is causing these heat waves.