14 Indian Cities at High Risk from Extreme Heat: University of Oxford Study

Heat is no longer just about how high the mercury climbs. A new University of Oxford study, published in the journal Sustainable Cities and Society, has ranked 205 big cities worldwide on heat risk — and 14 Indian cities figure in its top 50. The researchers looked beyond temperature, scoring each city on three counts: how much heat its people actually face, how vulnerable they are because of age and income, and whether they have the means to cope — green cover, affordable electricity, access to cooling. (PTI)

Ahmedabad (Risk score: 0.79): Ahmedabad tops the Indian list and is among the highest-risk cities in the world, according to the study. Its heat exposure score of 0.89 is one of the worst recorded, and weak coping capacity adds to the burden. There is a silver lining: the city's Heat Action Plan — South Asia's first — with its early warnings and cool roofs for low-income homes, has been credited with saving lives. The study itself cites it as a model other cities should follow. (PTI)

Nagpur (Risk score: 0.76): The Orange City is also one of India's hottest, and the study confirms what Nagpur residents feel every summer. With a heat exposure score of 0.86, the city ranks second among Indian cities on overall risk. For a city used to 45-degree summers, the finding is a reminder that rising heat is not just discomfort — it hits health, electricity bills, and daily wage earners who work outdoors the hardest. (PTI)

Bhopal (Risk score: 0.75): Madhya Pradesh's capital may not make national headlines for heatwaves, but it ranks third among Indian cities in the Oxford study. What pushes Bhopal up the list is not extreme exposure alone — its vulnerability score of 0.66 reflects how age profile and income levels make residents more susceptible when temperatures spike. (PTI)

Madurai (Risk score: 0.73): Madurai has the second-highest heat exposure score in the entire world — 0.99, behind only Ho Chi Minh City. The study measured 'feels-like' heat, which counts humidity along with temperature, and Tamil Nadu's temple city fares worse on it than Delhi, Mumbai, or Chennai. For Madurai's residents, the sticky, draining heat they live with has now been quantified — and it is globally exceptional. (PTI)

Patna (Risk score: 0.73): Patna records the highest vulnerability score among all Indian cities on the list — 0.77. In plain terms, the study finds Bihar's capital has more people who are at greater risk when heat strikes: young children, the elderly, and households without the income to afford cooling. Combined with poor green cover, it makes Patna's summers a serious public health concern. (PTI)

Jaipur (Risk score: 0.70): The Pink City scores high on both heat exposure (0.78) and lack of coping capacity (0.77), according to the study. Rajasthan's desert heat is nothing new, but the findings suggest Jaipur's defences — vegetation, affordable cooling — have not kept pace with its growth. That gap is what turns a hot city into a high-risk one. (PTI)

Bengaluru (Risk score: 0.69): The biggest surprise on the list. India's 'air-conditioned city' has the lowest heat exposure score among all 14 Indian entries — just 0.64 — yet ranks above Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Chennai on overall risk. The reason, per the study's framework: shrinking green cover and gaps in coping capacity. Bengaluru's famous weather is changing faster than the city is preparing for it. (PTI)

Hyderabad (Risk score: 0.68): Hyderabad's core urban area, home to nearly 78 lakh people, faces high heat exposure (0.76) and a coping capacity deficit (0.71), the study finds. As concrete spreads and the city builds upward, the findings suggest its ability to absorb extreme heat is not keeping up — a concern for a city that has already seen punishing summer spells in recent years. (PTI)

Lucknow (Risk score: 0.68): The City of Nawabs ties with Hyderabad on overall risk. The study gives Lucknow fairly even scores across the board — exposure, vulnerability, and coping deficit all around 0.70. This balanced risk profile highlights the city's need for comprehensive heat management strategies to protect its residents. (PTI)