Experts warn of heat risks as India's temperatures climb again

New Delhi:Extreme temperatures across India are having their worst impact in the country s teeming megacities, experts said Thursday, warning that the...

New Delhi: Extreme temperatures across India are having their worst impact in the country's teeming megacities, experts said Thursday, warning that the heat is fast becoming a public health crisis.

India is enduring a crushing heatwave with temperatures in several cities sizzling well above 45 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

Temperature readings in the capital New Delhi rose into the high 40s Celsius this week, with power usage in the city -- where the population is estimated at more than 30 million -- surging to a record high on Wednesday.

"Cities are more vulnerable to the compounding effects of urbanisation and climate change," said Aarti Khosla, director at research institute Climate Trends.

"Expect a greater number of hotter days, prolonged dry spells and less rainy days as weather patterns continue to change due to increased human emissions," she told AFP.