Extreme heatwave spreads across Asia

A prolonged heatwave intensified across South and Southeast Asia on Thursday, with temperatures exceeding 45°C in parts of northern India and Pakistan for the sixth consecutive day. Authorities in three countries extended school closures and issued maximum-level health alerts.

Electricity grids are operating at record load as cooling demand surges, forcing rotating outages in several regions precisely when they are most dangerous. Hospitals report sharp rises in heatstroke admissions, with outdoor workers and the elderly most affected.

Meteorologists link the event's persistence to a stalled high-pressure ridge and above-average sea-surface temperatures. Attribution scientists say heatwaves of this intensity have become roughly thirty times more likely in the region compared with the pre-industrial baseline.