Cwg xix delhi

An extreme heat wave with temperatures reaching 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit) has killed at least 1,118 people over the past week in India, where hot air, molten asphalt, dust storms are making life almost unbearable. The homeless, construction workers, newborns, young children and elderly people are most at risk in this weather. In the state of Andhra Pradesh alone, where temperatures climbed to 47 degrees Celsius or 116 Fahrenheit on Monday, 852 people have died. In the neighboring Telangana state, 266 people have died in the last week as temperatures hit 48 degrees Celsius or 118 Fahrenheit, the BBC reports. Advertisement Hospitals are struggling to treat victims of dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and tens of thousands are suffering through power cuts from the overloaded electrical grid. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) advises people to stay indoors, wear loose clothing, and drink water—even if they’re not … [Read more...] about Photos of India’s Deadly, Street-Melting Heat Wave

India is known for becoming a sweltering furnace in May, but last month was exceptionally brutal, with temperatures hovering 10 degrees Fahrenheit above normal for nearly two weeks. By June 4th, the heat wave had claimed over 2,500 lives, making it the fifth deadliest in recorded history. Advertisement Roads melted in New Delhi as temperatures hit 113 degrees Fahrenheit and stayed there for days on end. Other parts of the country were nearly seven degrees hotter. Even in the mountain town of Mussoorie over 2,000 meters above sea level, residents felt the temperature climb to an unprecedented 97 degrees. It’s difficult to imagine this sort of heat without experiencing it firsthand, but the false color map shown above is one lens that Earth scientists can use to see how badly India cooked last month. The colors represent outgoing longwave radiation—the amount of heat pouring off the Earth and into space—as measured by the Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy … [Read more...] about India’s Recent Heat Wave Was Absolutely Brutal

The year 2015 will go down as many things, but normal isn’t one of them. We saw record-smashing temperatures, exceptional droughts, deadly heat waves and massive wildfires. Add in earthquakes, landslides, and a brewing El Niño and we’re convinced our planet is trying to kill us. Hottest, Hottest, Hottest Advertisement The East Coast sweltered while the West Coast froze this summer. Image Credit: WSI via @ MJVentrice May was the hottest May on record. June was the hottest June on record. July was the hottest July on record. August was the hottest August on record. September was the hottest September on record. October was the hottest October on record. November was the hottest November on record. As for December? It’s going out in a blaze of chaotic glory. Those living on the East Coast enjoyed July-like weather this Christmas, while the North Pole experienced July-like weather yesterday. Even if December did turn out to be abnormally … [Read more...] about It Was a Wild, Weird Year to Live on Planet Earth

Particulates are just one component of air pollution, but they pose a significant health risk—especially the ones that are smaller than 2.5 microns. Particulate pollution can aggravate asthma and can contribute to heart disease, stroke, and other health conditions. So...how much are you breathing in? The New York Times has a tool that will compare your city’s levels of air pollution (as calculated by Berkeley Earth, which also has some nice maps) to those of some of the most polluted cities in the world. Advertisement Where I am, in Pittsburgh, the worst level of particulate pollution last year was 44 micrograms per cubic meter, a level that’s considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” New York City and Chicago are similar. Houston’s particulate levels earn it a designation of “unhealthy,” and Mexico City is “very unhealthy.” (Rural areas don’t seem to be available in the tool; you’ll have to choose your … [Read more...] about See How Your City’s Air Pollution Compares With the World’s Worst

A woman who was raped by an Uber driver in India is suing the company after reports that several senior executives obtained her medical files and used them to sow doubt about her account of the crime. The lawsuit alleges that Uber’s former president of business in the Asia Pacific region, Eric Alexander, obtained the woman’s medical records and shared them with Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and another senior executive, Emil Michael. The trio reportedly questioned the woman’s account and came up with a theory that a competing ride-hailing service in India, Ola, was somehow involved in the rape allegations. Alexander was dismissed from Uber after news outlets reported on his handling of the medical files. Michael resigned from the company following a wide-ranging investigation into Uber’s company culture that included harassment and discrimination complaints. Kalanick announced this week that he would take a temporary leave of absence from his company to mourn the … [Read more...] about Uber Sued Over Mishandling the Medical File of a Woman Who Was Raped by Uber Driver