Much of India and Pakistan is already sweltering in heatwave conditions, with temperatures reaching up to 50C in parts of Pakistan. Scientists say this is fast becoming the 'new normal' as spring heatwaves arrive earlier than usual.
In Delhi, thermometers have risen past 40C in April, up to 5C above the seasonal average, according to a report by ClimaMeter. The platform tracks extreme weather events and attributes the dangerous heat to human-driven climate change.
Pakistan is also reeling, with the city of Shaheed Benazirabad in Sindh province recording 50C, nearly 8.5C above the April average. An editorial in the Pakistani newspaper Dawn warned that the country 'remains woefully unprepared for the escalating climate crisis'.
Urban heat is exacerbating the situation, with cities such as Delhi and Islamabad now up to 3C hotter on average than nearby rural areas. Authorities in Delhi have urged schools to cancel afternoon assemblies and issued emergency guidelines to treat heat stress.
ClimaMeter said that compared to pre-1986 levels, similar meteorological conditions now produce temperatures up to 4C higher, almost entirely due to human-driven climate change. The researchers stressed that the only sustainable solution is to stop burning fossil fuels and reduce emissions.
