The World Bank warned that India could become one of the first places where wet-bulb temperatures routinely exceed 35 °C. Which of the following statements best reflect(s) the implication of the above-said report?  

I. Peninsular India will most likely suffer from flooding, tropical cyclones and droughts.  

II. The survival of animals including humans will be affected as shedding of their body heat through perspiration becomes difficult.   

Select the correct answer using the code given below.    

  • I only    
  • II only    
  • Both I and II    
  • Neither I nor II 

Answer: (c) Both I and II  

  • Wet-bulb temperature is a measure that combines dry air temperature and humidity to indicate to reflect the lowest temperature to which air can be cooled by the evaporation of water. In essence, it is a measure of heat-stress conditions on humans.
  • When the wet-bulb temperature reaches 35 °C, it becomes extremely dangerous for humans and animals because sweat can no longer evaporate to cool the body. The World Bank has warned that parts of India, due to rising global temperatures and increasing humidity, could be among the first regions in the world where wet-bulb temperatures routinely exceed 35 °C, posing a grave risk to life.
  • The region’s tropical location makes it particularly vulnerable to intensified monsoon variability, resulting in both extreme rainfall events causing floods and cyclones, as well as periods of inadequate rainfall leading to droughts.
  • Therefore, while the World Bank’s warning emphasizes the health hazards of extreme heat and humidity, it also implicitly highlights that the same underlying climate shifts will exacerbate Peninsular India’s susceptibility to these damaging hydrometeorological events.
  • When wet-bulb temperatures exceed 35 °C, the human body can no longer effectively cool itself through sweating and evaporation, which are essential to regulate internal body temperature. This creates life-threatening conditions even for healthy individuals, and especially for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, outdoor workers, or those without access to cooling.
  • The same threat applies to many animal species, which also rely on various forms of heat dissipation.