Experts from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and health officials have addressed concerns regarding the combination of a temperature of 35 degrees Celsius and a humidity level of 100 percent in Hyderabad. According to the IMD official, 100 percent humidity is not possible as the air is completely saturated and water droplets fall out. The highest humidity ever recorded was 95°F dew point in Saudi Arabia in 2003.
During the launch of the Cool Roof Policy by the Telangana government, Plaksha University Professor Vishal Garg suggested that a temperature of 35°C plus 100 percent humidity would make survival difficult. However, the IMD official stated that such a situation had never been recorded earlier and would never appear in the future. Garg recommended the use of cool roof technology to beat the heat, especially since an estimated 200 million people could be exposed to heat waves by 2030, making infants, children, and the elderly vulnerable.
Health experts also dismissed concerns over 100 percent humidity at 35°C, stating that they have not come across such cases. Dr Madap Karuna of GVK EMRI explained that doctors are familiar with heat exhaustion during summer, and cases of newborns with fever, increased jaundice, and severe dehydration increase due to the heat. Heat exhaustion and heat strokes are common in roofs with asbestos, while immobility can lead to low sodium levels in the elderly. Alerting families and explaining techniques can help prevent such cases.
