All you need to know about the heatwave, how to protect yourself
As large parts of the country continues to swelter under the grip of a scorching heatwave, and with temperatures expected to intensify over the next five days, here’s your complete guide to understanding the phenomenon and ways to stay safe
A woman covers her head to protect herself from the sun, in Mumbai. (Express Photo: Narendra Vaskar)
Since the beginning of March there have been at least 26 heatwave days, and as many as four spells of heatwaves in a little over a month and a half. The last of these heat waves remains ongoing.
When does India declare a heatwave?
According to the Health Ministry, a heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C or more for plains, 37°C or more for coastal stations, and at least 30°C or more for hilly regions.
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Based on departure from normal temperatures, the following criteria are used to declare a heatwave:
Heatwave: Departure from normal is 4.5°C to 6.4°C
Severe Heatwave: Departure from normal is >6.4°C
And, based on actual maximum temperature in plains, the following criteria is considered:
Heatwave: When the actual maximum temperature ≥ 45°C
Severe Heatwave: When actual maximum temperature ≥47°C
What can you do to protect yourself?
The Health Ministry recommends a list of measures you can take to stay safe in this period
Dos:
Stay indoors and in shaded places.
Use an umbrella/hat/cap/towel when outside.
Wear thin loose cotton, light-coloured garments.
Drink water and salted drinks (lassi, lemon water, fruit juices, ORS) frequently. Eat fruits such as watermelon, cucumber, lemon, orange etc.
Take frequent cool baths and reduce room temperature. Use window shades/curtains, fan, cooler, air-conditioner, cross-ventilate room, sprinkle water, keep indoor plants etc.
If a person feels unwell — especially the elderly, children, pregnant women, those with pre-existing medical conditions, and outdoor workers — they should immediately shift to a cooler place, put on minimum clothing, be sponged with cold water and be transported to the nearest health facility.
Kaunain Sheriff M is an award-winning investigative journalist and the National Health Editor at The Indian Express. He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, an investigation into one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical companies.
With over a decade of experience, Kaunain brings deep expertise in three areas of investigative journalism: law, health, and data. He currently leads The Indian Express newsroom’s in-depth coverage of health.
His work has earned some of the most prestigious honours in journalism, including the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism, the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Award, and the Mumbai Press Club’s Red Ink Award.
Kaunain has also collaborated on major global investigations. He was part of the Implant Files project with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which exposed malpractices in the medical device industry across the world. He also contributed to an international investigation that uncovered how a Chinese big-data firm was monitoring thousands of prominent Indian individuals and institutions in real time.
Over the years, he has reported on several high-profile criminal trials, including the Hashimpura massacre, the 2G spectrum scam, and the coal block allocation case. Within The Indian Express, he has been honoured three times with the Indian Express Excellence Award for his investigations—on the anti-Sikh riots, the Vyapam exam scam, and the abuse of the National Security Act in Uttar Pradesh. ... Read More
