For hundreds of millions of people living in India and Pakistan, the early arrival of summer heatwaves has become a terrifying reality that’s testing survivability limits and putting enormous strain on energy supplies, vital crops and livelihoods.
Both countries experience heatwaves during the summer months of May and June, but this year’s heatwave season has arrived sooner than usual and is predicted to last longer too.
Parts of Pakistan are likely to experience heat up to 8 degrees Celsius above normal between April 14-18, according to the country’s meteorological department. Maximum temperatures in Balochistan, in country’s southwest, could reach up to 49 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit).
That’s like living in Death Valley – the hottest and driest place in North America – where summer daytime temperatures often climb to similar levels.
Hey, wait, this is how Ministry for the Future starts!
Yeah, Kim Stanley Robinson likely did his homework on which parts of the world were most likely to experience the first heat wave with mass casualties.