In 2015 did the Indian government declare the heatwave a natural disaster under the National Disaster Management Act of 2005.

IMD declares a heatwave based on temperature. A heatwave is proclaimed when the highest temperature at a station surpasses 45°C; if it exceeds 47°C, it is referred to as a severe heatwave. Heatwaves in coastal and hilly locations are declared using similar criteria.

The human body reacts to a combination of heat and humidity known as the ‘wet-bulb temperature‘. Only a few humans can tolerate a wet-bulb temperature exceeding 35°C because their bodies can no longer cool themselves.

• Many regions of India now experience wet-bulb temperatures exceeding 32°C during certain parts of the year. However, we are not declaring such days to be heatwaves, endangering the lives of people engaged in manual labor.

Source: Times of India