New Delhi: A study by researchers from the University of Oxford has identified Chennai and Madurai among the cities facing a high risk from severe heatwaves worldwide.
The research assessed heatwave vulnerability in 205 cities with populations above one million, as global temperatures rise due to climate change. The findings were published in the scientific journal Sustainable Cities and Society.
According to the study, a city’s heat risk is shaped by multiple factors, including age profile (especially the presence of more elderly people and children), economic conditions, likelihood of health impacts, access to cooling facilities, and tree cover density.
In the global ranking, Iraq’s Al Basra was placed first for heatwave risk, followed by Ahmedabad in Gujarat at second, and Bamako in Mali at third. The study also noted that 14 Indian cities, including Chennai and Madurai, feature within the top 50 worldwide.
