Tamil Nadu government declares heatwaves as State-specific disaster

Tamil Nadu government declares heatwaves a State-specific disaster

Context:

Recently, the Tamil Nadu government declared heatwaves a State-specific disaster and announced ex-gratia payments of ₹4 lakh for families of individuals who die of heat-related causes, including those involved in relief operations.

Relevance:

GS-02 (Government policies and interventions)

What are Heatwaves?

  • It is an extended period of excessive hot weather, typically characterised by high temperatures that are above normal for a specific region that can have severe impacts on health, agriculture, infrastructure, etc.

Criteria to declare a heatwave.

  • Maximum Temperature Threshold: The maximum temperature during a heatwave must exceed the normal maximum temperature for a particular region by a certain margin.
  • Duration: The extreme heat conditions should persist for a specified number of consecutive days, varying based on the region and climatic conditions.
  • Diurnal Temperature Variation: Heatwaves often exhibit minimal relief during the nighttime, with higher minimum temperatures compared to normal.
  • Regional Variation: Different regions in India may have varying thresholds and criteria for heatwave declaration, considering the climatic patterns and local conditions.
  • Local Impact: Heatwave declaration also considers the adverse effects on human health, agriculture, and other sectors, based on local reports and observations.
  • Heat Index: The heat index, which takes into account both temperature and relative humidity, may be considered to assess the severity of the heatwave.
  • Heatwave Warning Systems: Meteorological departments issue heatwave warnings based on forecasts, which may trigger the declaration of a heatwave in advance.
  • Monitoring Stations: Monitoring stations across the country record and analyse temperature data to identify regions experiencing extreme heat conditions.
  • Historical Data: Historical weather data is compared to current conditions to determine if the temperature anomalies meet the criteria for a heatwave declaration.
  • Government Guidelines: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and respective state authorities provide guidelines and standards to determine the criteria for declaring a heatwave.

Some state specific disasters in India include:

  • Snakebite: Declared as a state specific disaster in Kerala
  • Lightning: Declared as a state specific disaster in Assam
  • Heat waves: Declared as a state specific disaster in Kerala
  • Sunburn: Declared as a state specific disaster in Odisha
  • Coastal erosion: A state specific disaster in Kerala
  • Strong wind: A state specific disaster in Kerala
  • Soil piping: A state specific disaster in Kerala
  • Human-animal conflict: A state specific disaster in Kerala