- Jacobabad, located in the Sindh province of Pakistan, has always been notorious for its scorching summers — when high temperatures and humidity send the city’s 2,00,000 residents running for cover. According to recent research, the city has officially surpassed the threshold temperature which human beings can withstand
jacobabad
- Mercury levels in the city can soar to a life-threatening 52 degrees Celsius (126 F),
- The grim milestone was crossed, albeit briefly, decades ahead of predictions based on climate change models. Ras al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates is the only other city to have crossed this deadly threshold.
- Jacobabad is situated along the Tropic of Cancer, which means that the sun is nearly overhead during the summer months. The mixture of heat and humid air from the Arabian Sea has contributed to the city crossing temperatures of 52 degrees Celsius, which could potentially be fatal for human beings.
- Based on available global weather data, the researchers found that Jacobabad and Ras al Khaimah are the only two cities in the world to have crossed this dangerous temperature threshold. According to their research, temperatures are likely to rise even further in the near future as this region of Pakistan along the Indus Valley is believed to be particularly vulnerable to climate change.
- To take both heat and humidity into account, the researchers assessed what are known as ‘wet bulb temperatures’. These are measured using a thermometer covered in a moist cloth. These readings are generally lower than dry bulb readings, which do not take humidity into account. Heat is more dangerous when combined with high levels of humidity.
- At a wet bulb reading of 35 degrees Celsius, the body can no longer cool itself by sweating. If this temperature persists for a few hours, it could result in organ failure and even death, experts say.
- The situation is a matter of grave concern for the residents of Jacobabad — where many subsist on a low income, and hence have limited ways to cope with the soaring temperatures
- While Jacobabad and Has al Khaimah have fierce temperatures in common, the similarities end there. For starters, there is no shortage of electricity in the wealthy UAE, where residents barely feel the effects of the soaring mercury levels.
- While only Jacobabad and Has al Khaimah have recorded life-threatening temperatures so far, other cities around the world do not fall far behind
- Parts of eastern coastal India, northwestern India also record temperatures over 31 degrees Celsius (wet bulb) during summer months. According to IMD, the temperature is steadily increasing across seasons. In 2015, heat waves that hit India and Pakistan left 4,000 people dead. India’s average yearly temperature in 2020 was 25.78 degrees Celsius
- The Gulf of California southern Gulf of Mexico and the Red Sea also experience extreme summer months,
- Heat wave
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