Needed: Alert systems for the growing threat of humid heat

Source: The post is based on an article “Needed: Alert systems for the growing threat of humid heat” published in Live Mint on 13^th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Disaster Management

Relevance: concerns over rising heat related deaths

News: June was the Earth’s hottest month ever recorded. This has raised concerns over rising heat and its implications.

What are the concerns over rising temperatures?

Due to the rising temperature, heat related deaths have increased. According to a 2021 paper in the Lancet, about 469,000 people worldwide died from overheating.

Why do people die from heat?

Heat can be deadly because our bodies are composed of cells protected by membranes that can melt under extreme temperatures. Moreover, despite being warm-blooded, our bodies need to maintain a core temperature of around 36.6° C.

Our bodies cool down by sending blood to the skin, where it releases heat into the air. However, this process becomes less effective when the air temperature reaches around 35° C, and sweating becomes necessary to cool off.

The evaporation of sweat cools us down. However, when humidity is too high, sweat fails to evaporate, causing sweat drips and preventing effective cooling.

Furthermore, with 100% humidity and an air temperature of 35° C, humans can begin to experience the effects of their own body heat, and individuals who are more vulnerable can suffer from heatstroke at lower temperatures.

Moreover, the elderly and individuals with heart conditions are at greater risk of heart attacks as the body’s cooling mechanisms can create cardiovascular stress if pushed too hard.

Further, once the core body temperature rises above 40° C, the situation becomes dangerous, and if it goes above 41° C, heatstroke can be fatal.

People can adapt to heat over time by spending a few days in a hot environment. However, prolonged exposure to extreme heat can overpower these adaptive responses.

Moreover, factors such as humidity, wind velocity and direct exposure to sunlight, a person’s level of exertion, body size and clothes determine the severity of heat.

Must Read: Heat strokes in India: Reasons and Impacts – Explained

What preventive measures can be adopted to prevent heat related deaths?

Ollie Jay, a health researcher in Australia has developed a five-level ‘heat stress’ warning scale to notify people about the danger of heat.

This scale takes into account factors such as temperature, wind, sun exposure, and humidity to warn individuals when these conditions combine to create a deadly situation. Alerts could be sent to phones and sent out on television.

Adopting a science-based heat-risk scale can also inform workers about dangerous conditions and require employers to provide breaks for outdoor workers when their lives are at risk.

Jay further suggested that providing air conditioning for everyone is not a viable solution, as it contributes to heat generation in crowded cities, consumes significant energy, and emits carbon emissions.

Therefore, ACs should be established in common spaces like libraries and develop systems to transport vulnerable people to these locations during heatwaves.

What can be the way ahead?

Due to the rising global warming, city officials will need to adopt heat warning systems, establish public cooling centers, and enforce science-based regulations to prevent heat-related fatalities.