The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that temperatures in the country are rising more rapidly and earlier than normal years. Heatwaves are common in India, particularly in May andJune, however, the high temperatures began in March this year. The average maximum temperatures in the month of March were the highest they had been in 122 years.
Early heatwaves have affected 15 states in India this year. The temperature in the capital Delhi is expected to rise above 44C this week. The temperature spikes have affected the wheat harvest in the country which could lead to global consequences due to the supply disruptions caused by the Ukraine war. There are also fears of a coal shortage as power demand has increased and outages have occurred in many states due to the heat.
Read more: Heatwave in India leaves millions struggling to cope
