'Average 44.7°C': All 50 of the World's Hottest Cities Were in This Country

Average Temperature in Banda, Uttar Pradesh Reaches 46.2 Degrees Celsius
Heatwave Concentrated in the Inland 'Heat Belt' Regions

At the end of last month, an unusual heatwave occurred in which all 50 of the hottest cities on Earth were concentrated in India. Experts are raising alarm bells about the climate crisis, noting that the extreme heat appeared in April, ahead of the usual hottest period.

On May 11, CNN in the United States, citing data from the local air quality monitoring platform AQI.in, reported that on April 27, all of the top 50 cities with the highest temperatures in the world were in India. On that day, the average high temperature across the 50 Indian cities reached 44.7 degrees Celsius. The highest temperature was recorded in Banda, Uttar Pradesh in northern India, with a peak of 46.2 degrees Celsius.

An unusual heatwave occurred last month, with all 50 of the hottest cities on Earth concentrated in India. Experts are raising alarm bells about the climate crisis, noting that the extreme heat appeared in April, ahead of the usual hottest period. AP Yonhap News

The problem was that temperatures did not drop significantly even at night. The lowest temperature in Banda that day was 34.7 degrees Celsius. Normally, nighttime cooling allows the human body to recover from heat stress, but when even the minimum temperature approaches 35 degrees, the risk of heat-related illnesses rises significantly. The regions hit hardest by the heatwave are classified as the so-called "heat belt" in India's interior. These areas do not benefit from the cooling effects of the sea, and the land that heats up during the day does not easily cool down at night.

Meteorologist Maximiliano Herrera described this heatwave as "the highest level ever recorded for a heatwave in India during April, which is not even the hottest month of the year," and called it "an unprecedented event that shattered dozens or even hundreds of previous April temperature records." He warned that "this is a situation that requires serious analysis." While a single day's temperature cannot determine long-term climate trends, India has recently been experiencing faster and more intense heatwaves every year. Summers are getting longer, and the onset of heatwaves is occurring earlier than before.

Some experts warn that if the climate crisis continues, certain areas in India could approach the limits of human survivability. They also point out that damage could be greater if energy supply instability coincides with a surge in cooling demand and potential rainfall shortages. Photo by AP Yonhap News Agency

Some experts worry that if the climate crisis continues, certain areas in India could approach the limits of human survivability. They also point out that if energy supply instability occurs at the same time as a surge in cooling demand and potential rainfall shortages, the damage could be even greater. The India Meteorological Department has already warned that many regions are likely to see temperatures higher than normal this summer. Herrera predicted that another extreme heatwave could occur in several states in central and eastern India during May, with some areas experiencing apparent temperatures as high as 50 to 60 degrees Celsius.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.