“A Matter of Survival as South Asia’s Heat Wave Reaches 127 Degrees" Article Reflection No. 99 (6/2/2024)

Article: “A Matter of Survival as South Asia’s Heat Wave Reaches 127 Degrees”

In the article “A Matter of Survival as South Asia’s Heat Wave Reaches 127 Degrees,” journalist Zia ur-Rehman writes of the current deadly heat wave uprooting daily life in India and Pakistan, both of which have reached over 120 degrees Fahrenheit. ur-Rehman describes the financial strain individuals face as they are forced to work jobs that demand intense physical labor, such as creating mud bricks, under the sweltering sun.  With regions Uttar Pradesh and Bihar facing at least 6 and 14 deaths, respectively, the human toll is grave, ur-Rehman suggests. 

This article is so devastating, and it makes me so sad that so many are unable to afford daily necessities like water. This is only exacerbated by the unimaginably hot weather conditions. Over 120 degrees is astonishing. Living in Southern California I have faced heat but not nearly as much as the people in South Asia are currently facing. This article also surprises me with the stark contrast of wealth between people in the US—specifically, the community I see in my city on a daily basis—and the poor in India and Pakistan. Being unable to take parental leave even under the sweltering sun…I can’t even imagine how exhaustive, dizzy, and hopeless I would feel if I were in these people’s shoes. Honestly, life is so unfair sometimes. And this is one of those times.