Houston, April 21: Three people were killed as heavy storms hit the central US state of Oklahoma over the weekend, authorities said.

A 12-year-old boy and his mother died in Moore, about 10 miles (about 16 km) south of Oklahoma City, on Sunday after floodwaters washed away their vehicle, said local police.

“This was a historical weather event that impacted roads and resulted in dozens of high-water incidents across the city,” Moore police said in a statement.

Another person was killed on Saturday night after a tornado hit Spaulding, a town in Hughes County, the county wrote on Facebook, Xinhua news agency reported.

Several homes and structures were destroyed, and there were “numerous washouts” of county roads, it said.

On April 20, the National Weather Service issued multiple tornado warnings across several states, including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, and Louisiana. According to AccuWeather, regions of Missouri, Arkansas, and Illinois faced a high risk of severe thunderstorms.

The Storm Prediction Centre warned that strong, damaging winds, hail, and thunderstorms were likely to persist throughout the night. Severe weather was expected to continue across parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, extending into the Ozark Mountains and the mid-Mississippi Valley.

By late evening, local news outlets in Arkansas and Montana confirmed at least two tornado touchdowns. In Illinois, the National Weather Service issued alerts for severe storms capable of producing tornadoes.

Around 9 p.m. local time, a tornado was detected east of East Moline, a city in northwestern Illinois that’s part of the Quad Cities. At the time, no injuries or damages were reported.

Looking ahead, forecasters predicted ongoing showers and thunderstorms along and ahead of a front stretching from the Great Lakes down through the Tennessee and Lower Mississippi Valleys to the Gulf Coast on Monday. While heavy rainfall could lead to flooding, the severe weather threat was expected to diminish throughout the day.

London, April 17: The number of days each year that the world’s oceans experience extreme surface heat has tripled over the past 80 years due to global warming, a new study has found.

Researchers found that, on average, the global sea surface saw about 15 days of extreme heat annually in the 1940s, Xinhua news agency reported.

Today that figure has soared to nearly 50 days per year, revealed the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Global warming is responsible for almost half of the occurrence of marine heatwaves — periods when sea surface temperatures rise well above normal for an extended time.

The study, produced by a team of scientists from the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, the University of Reading, the International Space Science Institute, and the University of the Balearic Islands, also found that rising global temperatures are making extreme ocean heat events last longer and become more intense.

“Marine heatwaves can devastate underwater ecosystems. Extended periods of unusually warm water can kill coral reefs, destroy kelp forests, and harm seagrass meadows,” said Xiangbo Feng, a co-author of the study at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science at the University of Reading.

The impacts of marine heat waves extend beyond the ocean. The researcher warns that increased marine heatwaves could, in return, cause our atmosphere less stable leading to more frequent and powerful tropical storms in some regions.

“As global temperatures continue to rise, marine heatwaves will become even more common and severe, putting increasing pressure on already stressed ocean ecosystems. These increased marine heatwaves could, in return, cause our atmosphere less stable leading to more frequent and powerful tropical storms in some regions,” Feng said

Noting that human activities are fundamentally changing oceans, the study called for urgent climate action to protect marine environments.

Ahmedabad, April 10: As Gujarat grapples with soaring temperatures, Ahmedabad recorded a high of 42°C (108°F) on Thursday, with a predicted forecast similar for the coming days. ​

Over the past few decades, Gujarat has witnessed a consistent increase in both minimum and maximum temperatures. Scientists warn that 2025 could be one of the hottest years on record if current trends continue.

The IMD’s ‘State-Level Climate Change Trends in India’ report indicates an annual rise of approximately 0.02°C in these temperature metrics. While this increment may seem marginal every year, its cumulative effect over time has led to more frequent and intense heatwaves.​

The IMD predicts that the intense heat will persist throughout April and May, with maximum temperatures ranging between 41°C to 45°C (106°F to 113°F) in parts of Gujarat. A slight respite is expected with the onset of the monsoon season in June, although temperatures are still projected to remain above normal during this period.

Experts suggest that several factors contribute to this warming phenomenon. Rapid urbanisation and industrialisation have transformed cities like Ahmedabad and Surat into heat islands, where concrete structures and asphalt surfaces absorb and retain heat, elevating local temperatures.

Additionally, deforestation for agricultural expansion and urban development has diminished the natural cooling effects of vegetation, further exacerbating the heat.​ Gujarat’s geographical features also play a role. Its extensive coastline along the Arabian Sea means that rising sea temperatures can influence local climate conditions.

“Urbanisation in cities like Ahmedabad and Surat has replaced natural landscapes with heat-trapping concrete, asphalt, and steel. These materials retain heat well into the night, increasing not just daytime but also nighttime temperatures. It’s a classic case of the urban heat island effect,” said a climate scientist at the Gujarat Ecology Commission.

Further, Gujarat’s semi-arid geography makes it more vulnerable to temperature extremes. Unlike forest-rich regions, dry land heats up faster and offers minimal natural cooling. This makes rural populations and agricultural workers especially susceptible to heatstroke and dehydration.

In May 2010, Ahmedabad experienced an extreme heatwave, with temperatures soaring to unprecedented levels. Studies indicate that during this period, there was an estimated 43 per cent increase in all-cause mortality, translating to approximately 1,344 excess deaths compared to similar periods in 2009 and 2011. ​

More recently, in May 2024, Gujarat recorded 187 cases of heatstroke, with Ahmedabad accounting for 69 of these cases. Notably, 152 of these cases across the state, including 66 in Ahmedabad, were reported in the last ten days of May when average temperatures reached 44.6°C. ​

In the agricultural sector, increased heat stress adversely affects crop yields, threatening food security and the livelihoods of farmers.

Health-wise, the prevalence of heat-related illnesses has surged. For instance, during a heatwave in 2010, Ahmedabad recorded 76 heatstroke deaths in a single week.

Subsequent analyses revealed an excess of 800 deaths during that period, highlighting the severe impact of extreme heat on public health.

​ In response to the increasing heat, the Gujarat government has implemented several measures to mitigate the impact on its citizens.

The Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA) has developed action plans for high-risk cities, focusing on early warning systems and public awareness campaigns.

Furthermore, the government has advised residents to take precautions against heat-related illnesses, emphasising the importance of staying hydrated and avoiding direct sun exposure during peak hours. The health impacts of rising temperatures are profound.

Studies have shown a significant increase in heat-related illnesses and mortality during extreme heat events.

For instance, the 2010 heatwave in Ahmedabad was associated with a 41.3 per cent increase in all-cause mortality. To combat this, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has launched heat wave preparation and warning systems aimed at protecting vulnerable populations.

Looking ahead, projections indicate that Gujarat’s mean temperature could rise by up to 5°C by the end of the 21st century.