The unprecedented heat has gripped the capital and the worst part — the monsoon is still weeks away
Delhi is in a heat emergency. The threat is not just what the thermometer shows — it’s in the air we breathe, the infrastructure we rely on, and the fragile lives caught in between. Delhi finds itself teetering on the edge of a climate emergency. With daytime temperatures already breaching unbearable levels and heat indices — the “feels like†temperature — soaring towards a blistering 50°C, the capital is caught in an escalating crisis. A new report by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), titled “How Extreme Heat is Impacting India,†paints a stark picture of what’s driving this relentless heat. Delhi now ranks among the top 10 most heat-vulnerable regions in the country. The report highlights a dramatic increase in very warm nights — indicating that nights are no longer bringing respite from daytime heat. This disturbing trend, combined with the city’s dense infrastructure, is fueling what’s known as the urban heat island effect, where tightly packed buildings and roads absorb and trap heat, pushing local temperatures higher than in surrounding rural areas.
To make matters worse, relative humidity in Delhi has climbed nearly 9 per cent in the past ten years. When humidity rises, the body’s natural cooling mechanism — sweat evaporation — slows down, making it harder to cope and significantly increasing the “feels like†temperature. Compounding the crisis is the shrinking diurnal temperature range: the difference between day and night temperatures is narrowing, which means the city simply doesn’t cool down enough after sunset.
More buildings, more energy use, more vehicles — all these lead to the heat load. While no one is entirely safe, the burden falls heaviest on the most vulnerable. Children, the elderly, and those who work outdoors — are at serious risk. Residents of informal settlements, where homes lack insulation, proper ventilation, or consistent electricity, are also disproportionately affected. Low-income families struggle to afford cooling appliances, while people with heart or respiratory issues face compounding health risks. Despite relatively good access to healthcare and electricity in Delhi, the scale of exposure and intensity of the hazard overwhelms these buffers, especially during prolonged heatwaves.
In these conditions, adaptation is the key for survival. People are urged to stay indoors during peak heat hours. Hydration is crucial — water intake should be frequent, even without thirst, while alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks should be avoided. Wearing loose, light-colored cotton clothing helps, as does using fans, wet towels, or mist sprays to cool down. And at the first sign of heat-related illness dizziness, excessive sweating, confusion, or nausea — immediate medical attention can save lives. Meteorologists indicate that some relief may arrive with the pre-monsoon showers expected in late June. The Delhi Government’s newly launched Heat Action Plan is a timely and vital step, aiming to reduce both short-term harm and long-term risk. However, implementation and execution are vital. What’s clear is that this extreme weather is the new normal, and it demands urgent, systemic change.
