The Daily Populous Monday June 1st, 2026 evening edition
Authored by indiatoday.in and submitted by sloopywettoppyswife

The summer of 2026 has seen temperatures soar past 45°C in many parts of India, renewing focus on the issue of extreme heat that is increasingly becoming frequent and is being considered normal each year.

Why extreme heat is a significant concern is what a study tries to explain by painting a concerning picture of how deadly the heat can truly be. The team of researchers used data from earlier studies on 10 Indian cities and applied it nationwide, looking at all districts.

They then estimated that just one day of extreme heat across the country could lead to around 3,400 excess deaths, and a five-day heatwave might cause nearly 30,000.

Read that again in the context of what has happened in 2026 so far, and the numbers start adding up quickly. A woman covers her child amid a heatwave on a summer day, in Varanasi. (Photo: PTI)

India is no stranger to blistering summers, with heatwaves growing longer and more intense in recent years.

In 2024, parts of Rajasthan hit a staggering 50.5°C, while cities like Delhi recorded their hottest nights in years.

This year, 2026, has seen similar extremes gripping northern, central, and western states, with severe heat alerts in places like Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

Another major issue that has emerged this year is that of warm nights that take away the little window of relief, too.

Concrete settlements in urban regions make the surroundings warm even after the Sun sets, and any relief from heat remains missing for millions. And of course, how the heat affects people disproportionately.

Farmers, outdoor workers, and the elderly often bear the brunt, as they are more exposed and more vulnerable to rising temperatures. A woman pours water on a child to provide relief from the scorching heat. (Photo: PTI)

The numbers the study arrived at are made more concerning by the fact that we hear so little about these deaths.

Official counts of "heatstroke deaths" are often low, sometimes just a few hundred in a bad season, because many heat-related deaths are not labelled as such.

They show up instead as heart attacks, breathing problems, or other causes, especially among vulnerable people. This general lack of clear, detailed data on heat mortality has long made it hard for authorities and the public to grasp the full scale of the problem. Â People cover themselves due to scorching heat in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

The new study by researchers Piyush Narang and Ashok Gadgil from UC Berkeley, tries to fill that gap.

Their figures are described as careful lower-bound estimates, meaning the real impact could be even higher, especially in rural areas where people have less protection from the Sun and heat.

Uttar Pradesh stands out in the findings, potentially seeing over 8,000 excess deaths in a five-day heatwave.

Districts in cities like Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Surat could each see more than 250 extra deaths in a single extreme day. A child pours water on himself to cool down during an ongoing heatwave. (Photo: Unsplash)

The study further noted that poorer states with lower GDP often suffer a much heavier burden relative to their resources, raising urgent questions about fair support and planning.

With heatwaves expected to become more frequent as the planet warms, experts say India needs better local early warnings, stronger healthcare readiness during hot spells, and targeted help for high-risk areas.

The research calls for better preparation by highlighting precisely how extreme heat is not just an issue of prolonged discomfort but a growing public health emergency that demands attention now, before the next wave hits.

Published By: Aryan Published On: Jun 1, 2026 13:40 IST

grizzlygrowly on June 1st, 2026 at 12:06 UTC »

In 51 years of living in Mumbai, this year is the first time the nights are not cooler. Sweating like a pig at 3 am in the night even with the fans at full blast. Never seen heat like this.

AshinWirathu on June 1st, 2026 at 11:38 UTC »

I don't think using data from 10 cities and applying the data nationwide is a good way to calculate the deaths. The difference between urban/rural and even among the cities is too much. You would need a district wise study that goes over 1000s of villages, towns and cities.

Stockholm-Syndrom on June 1st, 2026 at 11:27 UTC »

Has anybody read "The Ministry for the Future"?