New Delhi: The impact of climate change-related heat has affected a large section of India's population this year. According to a new report by Climate Central, around 117 million people in India were exposed to at least 30 days of heat considered 'risky heat' linked to climate change between June and August 2026.

The report identifies a 'risky heat day' as a day when the local temperature exceeds the 90th percentile of temperatures recorded between 1991 and 2020. When temperatures rise above this level, the health risks associated with heat begin to increase.

Temperature Was 0.7 Degrees Above Normal

According to the analysis, India's average temperature between June and August was around 0.7 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 normal level. During this period, an average person in the country experienced around 39 days of temperatures considered to have a strong climate change influence.

In terms of cities, the report recorded 53 risky heat days in Srinagar, 40 in Chennai, 29 each in Rajkot and Amritsar, and 27 in Lucknow. In Mumbai, temperatures were reported to have a strong climate change influence for 86 days.

More Than 1.5 Billion People Affected Worldwide

According to Climate Central's analysis, more than 1.5 billion people worldwide experienced at least 30 days of climate change-related risky heat between June and August. In Asia, the figure was around 2.8 billion people, representing approximately 58% of the continent's population.

The report's figures were prepared using Climate Central's Climate Shift Index (CSI) and historical local temperature data. The analysis is based on a scientific methodology used to measure the relationship between heat and climate change.