We use essential cookies and third-party cookies for content.

Pallade Veneta - Indian election resumes as heatwave hits voters

Indian election resumes as heatwave hits voters

NATURE 26.04.2024
Indian election resumes as heatwave hits voters
Indian election resumes as heatwave hits voters / Photo: Money SHARMA - AFP

India's six-week election juggernaut resumed on Friday with millions of people expected to line up outside polling stations in parts of the country hit by a scorching heatwave.

Change text size:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is widely expected to win a third term in the election, which concludes in early June.

But turnout in the first round of voting last week dropped nearly four points to 66 percent from the last election in 2019, with speculation in Indian media outlets that higher-than-average temperatures were to blame.

The second round of the poll -- conducted in phases to ease the immense logistical burden of staging an election in the world's most populous country -- includes districts that have this week seen temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

India's weather bureau said Thursday that severe heatwave conditions would continue in several states through the weekend.

That includes parts of the eastern state of Bihar, where five districts will vote on Friday and where temperatures more than 5.1 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average were recorded this week.

Karnataka state in the south and parts of Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state and heartland of the Hindu faith, are also scheduled to vote while facing heatwave conditions.

Earlier this week, India's election commission said it had formed a task force to review the impact of heatwaves and humidity before each round of voting.

The Hindu newspaper suggested the decision could have been taken out of concerns that the intense heat "might have resulted in a dip in voter turnout".

In a Monday statement, the commission said it had "no major concern" about the impact of hot temperatures on Friday's vote.

But it added that it had been closely monitoring weather reports and would ensure "the comfort and well-being of voters along with polling personnel".

A wave of exceptionally hot weather has blasted South and Southeast Asia, prompting thousands of schools across the Philippines and Bangladesh to suspend in-person classes.

The heat disrupted campaigning in India on Wednesday when roads minister Nitin Gadkari fainted at a rally for Modi in Maharashtra state.

Footage of the speech showed Gadkari falling unconscious and being carried off the stage by handlers. He later blamed the incident on discomfort "due to the heat".

Years of scientific research have found climate change is causing heatwaves to become longer, more frequent and more intense.

A.Saggese--PV

Featured

US Buildings Threatened by Wildfires Could Triple by 2060

A new study published in Nature Communications projects that the number of buildings across the contiguous United States threatened by wildfires could almost triple by 2060. Researchers attribute this escalating risk to a combination of climate change, forest mismanagement, and continued development in fire-prone areas, warning that socioeconomically vulnerable communities face disproportionate dangers.

Researchers Warn 'Bookkeeping Trick' Masks Beef Industry's Methane Emissions

Two new analyses warn that a specialized accounting method known as GWP* enables major beef-producing countries to significantly understate their methane emissions. Researchers from Greenpeace and the University of California, Los Angeles, argue that this metric creates a misleading picture of climate progress, allowing nations to claim neutrality while actual warming continues.

Climate Change Intensified Atlantic Hurricanes, Study Finds

Human-caused climate change significantly intensified Atlantic hurricanes over the past five years, according to a new analysis by Climate Central. The study found that elevated sea surface temperatures increased maximum wind speeds for most storms between 2019 and 2023, as well as every recorded storm in the 2024 season.

UAE oil spill raises questions for desalination operations

An oil spill off the United Arab Emirates that has prompted temporary restrictions on fishing and on access to several beaches has raised concerns over the risk of environmental contamination and the potential impact on desalination plants. The spill is from a vessel that shipping sources have identified as crude oil tanker Gem No.

Change text size: