Natural disasters, the increasing threat to women, and the heat in India

Women are 14 times more likely to die than men in disasters and account for 80% of those displaced by disasters. They often face increased violence, homelessness, and additional caregiving responsibilities. The relevant research was based on interviews with women in Victoria, Australia, when domestic violence spiked after the Black Saturday bushfires in February 2009. Further research has been conducted during Australia’s millennium drought, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2022 floods in New South Wales.

As many as 4 million people in India make a living by scavenging landfills for items to sell. The extreme heat makes that work even more dangerous. As the waste decomposes, the landfills cook from the inside out, and the rising heat accelerates and intensifies this process, increasing the emission of health-damaging gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. Additionally, almost all landfill fires occur in the summer and can last for days.

Due to rising temperatures, a heat stroke ward has been set up at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi. When patients experience heat stroke, they are placed in a 250-litre bathtub filled with water and ice immediately after the onset of symptoms. The cold water in the bathtub affects the patient’s entire body surface. During the procedure, the patient’s vital signs are monitored, and once the temperature has dropped, the patient is transferred to the intensive care unit.