‘Your fierce destruction’
Intense heatwaves are scorching vast regions of northern, northwestern, and central India. The temperature in the capital itself has long crossed 45 degrees Celsius. In Banda, Uttar Pradesh, temperatures have reached nearly 49 degrees Celsius. Across Bundelkhand, the heatwave is so severe that farmers are working their fields late at night under LED lights. Bengal is also burning. This year, the impact of climate change has been compounded by the excessive warming of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, known scientifically as El Niño. According to a report from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on May 26, 2026, there is at least an 82% chance of El Niño intensifying between May and July this year. The world previously witnessed the most severe impact of El Niño from 1876 to early 1878. This year, El Niño’s effects are set to be a curse, primarily across the Northern Hemisphere. This will lead to abnormal ocean warming, relentless heatwaves, drought, food security issues, and public health crises. Additionally, rainfall from the upcoming southwest monsoon in India is expected to be significantly below normal. At least, that is what the Indian Meteorological Department indicated in its report published on April 23. Typically, the monsoon brings about 70% of total annual rainfall, averaging 870 millimeters in India. But this year, the likelihood of monsoon rainfall exceeding 800 millimeters is virtually nonexistent. Directly affected will be 60% of farmers who depend on monsoon rains. It is worth noting that in 2009, due to a relatively weak El Niño, monsoon rainfall in India dropped to 78.2% of the long-term average, the lowest record in 87 years. Moreover, about 150 crore people and an agricultural economy worth at least $400 trillion depend on monsoon rains. Since one-third of India’s consumer price index is based on food grains, reduced rainfall means a devaluation of this index and, consequently, rampant price hikes. Currently, about 6% of India’s total power generation is hydropower. Reduced rainfall leads to lower river flows, which in turn threatens to significantly disrupt hydropower production. Alongside this, people are suffering from relentless heatwaves caused by rising temperatures due to climate change, especially informal workers, who make up nearly 90% of India’s total workforce.
Scientists fear that 2026 will break all records for prolonged heatwaves. According to the Global Climate Risk Index (2026) published by Germanwatch at the World Climate Conference last November, India has moved from 15th place to 9th among the top ten most vulnerable countries. According to that report, in 2024 alone, 3.3 crore people were directly affected by heatwaves. From 2008 to 2019, an average of 1,116 people died annually in India due to severe heatwaves, although the actual number is much higher, as most heatwave-related deaths are not properly documented in India.
Sea levels are rising due to global warming. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that sea levels have risen by 20 centimeters since 1850, almost entirely in the last 30 years. If this trend continues, sea levels could rise by at least half a meter by the end of this century. It is worth noting that just three decades ago, the Antarctic ice sheet was six times larger than today. It is important to remember that melting polar ice sheets is not the same as melting glaciers. If all the world’s glaciers melted, sea levels would rise by at most 24 centimeters; but if all polar ice sheets melted, sea levels would rise by 65 meters—300 times more. A recent study published in Nature Reviews Earth and Environment shows that at least 3,100 glaciers worldwide are rapidly retreating, with a significant portion located in the Karakoram mountain range. Of these, 81 are in a very critical state, and there is a high risk that surrounding settlements could be buried under ice at any time.
In a research paper published in the journal Nature on April 22, 2026, Isabella S. Tagomori and her colleagues state that unless strict controls on fossil fuel use are implemented, it will be virtually impossible to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the end of this century, as per the Paris Climate Agreement. If current trends continue, warming could reach 3.4 degrees Celsius by the century’s end. Even if countries meet their voluntary carbon emission reduction targets, warming of up to 2.8 degrees Celsius cannot be avoided. The World Meteorological Organization’s report

Banda, Uttar Pradesh

Banda is a historic city in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh, India, known for its role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, where local leaders like Tirot Singh fought against British rule. The city is home to several historical sites, including the Banda Fort and the Kalinga Fort, which reflect its medieval and colonial past. Today, Banda also serves as a cultural and administrative center, with nearby attractions like the Ken River and wildlife sanctuaries.

Bundelkhand

Bundelkhand is a historical and cultural region in central India, spanning parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. It was once a stronghold of the Chandela dynasty, known for building the magnificent Khajuraho temples between the 9th and 12th centuries, and later came under the rule of the Bundela Rajputs, who gave the region its name. The area is also famous for its rugged landscape, forts like Kalinjar and Orchha, and its role in the 1857 Indian Rebellion.

Karakoram mountain range

The Karakoram mountain range, straddling the borders of Pakistan, India, and China, is one of the world’s most formidable and glaciated ranges, home to K2, the second-highest peak on Earth. Its name means “black gravel” in Turkish, and it has been a historic crossroads for ancient trade routes, including a branch of the Silk Road. The range’s dramatic peaks and deep valleys have long challenged explorers and mountaineers, with major expeditions beginning in the 19th century and continuing to attract climbers today.

Antarctic ice sheet

The Antarctic ice sheet is the largest single mass of ice on Earth, covering nearly 14 million square kilometers and holding about 60% of the planet’s fresh water. Its formation began over 34 million years ago, with the current ice sheet taking shape around 14 million years ago as the continent cooled and became isolated. This vast, frozen expanse plays a critical role in regulating global climate and sea levels, and its history is studied through ice cores that reveal past atmospheric conditions.

Paris Climate Agreement

The Paris Climate Agreement, adopted in 2015 at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21), is a landmark international treaty aimed at limiting global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to keep it to 1.5°C. Nearly 200 countries signed the agreement, which requires each nation to set and update their own emission reduction targets. It marked a historic shift in global climate cooperation, though its effectiveness has been challenged by political changes, such as the U.S. withdrawal under the Trump administration and re-entry under President Biden.