NEW DELHI: A new study by Greenpeace India has revealed a troubling link between Delhi’s intensifying heat stress and thousands of unrecognised deaths, particularly among the homeless and outdoor workers. The report, “Death and Degree: Establishing a Relationship of Death and Heat in Scorched Delhi,” uses the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) to show how extreme heat has become a silent public health crisis.
According to the findings, monsoon months that once brought relief now register dangerously high humidity and temperature levels. Between 2015 and 2024, June, July, and August consistently recorded UTCI values above 31.5 degrees Celsius, with July 2019 peaking at 34.4 degrees—conditions previously linked only to peak summer. The report highlights a sharp seasonal rise in stress, with March-to-April UTCI levels spiking by over 30 per cent, marking the onset of extreme summer danger.
This rise has coincided with a surge in deaths. In 2019 alone, 5,341 unidentified deaths were recorded during months of record heat. From 2022 to 2024, Delhi reported 11,819 such deaths, the highest three-year toll on record. June has emerged as the deadliest month, with 657 deaths in June 2019 at a UTCI of 34.2 degrees. The homeless have been worst hit: in June 2024, 192 homeless people died within just nine days, while July 2024 recorded 401 deaths—the highest monthly toll in two decades.
“Our analysis shows Delhi’s heat crisis is extending well beyond summer into the monsoon, creating a prolonged season of danger. Unless urgent measures are taken to recognise heat as a disaster and safeguard at-risk communities, Delhi will continue to lose lives in silence,” said Selomi Garnaik of Greenpeace India.
Experts note that while heat-related deaths often go unrecognised due to diagnostic challenges, the correlation between rising UTCI levels and mortality is undeniable. The report urges that heatwaves be legally recognised as disasters under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, alongside measures such as cooling shelters, hydration stations, and targeted medical outreach.