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The World Bank warned that India could become one of the first places where wet-bulb temperatures routinely exceed 35 ℃. 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.
Explanation
The correct answer is option B (II only).
Wet-bulb temperatures above 35°C represent a critical threshold beyond which the human body cannot survive for more than[1] a few hours, as even fit and acclimatized young people cannot withstand such[2] conditions. At these temperatures, bodies become unable to cool themselves through sweating, thus increasing the risk of fatal heatstroke.[3] Therefore, Statement II correctly reflects the implication of the World Bank warning.
However, Statement I is incorrect because wet-bulb temperature exceeding 35°C is specifically related to heat and humidity combinations that impair thermoregulation. While climate change projections do indicate temperature increases of 3-5°C in various parts of India and a potential 50% increase in tropical cyclone frequency by the end of the 21st century[4], these are separate consequences of general climate change, not direct implications of the wet-bulb temperature threshold. The wet-bulb warning specifically addresses human survivability under extreme heat-humidity conditions, not flooding or cyclone patterns.
Sources- [1] https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2025-09/58590_lac_hdr_uk_web.pdf
- [2] https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099062325172010940/pdf/P500641-44dd85ad-548c-4043-acf4-abcd02a81147.pdf
- [3] https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/business-of-life/explained-is-india-at-risk-of-wet-bulb-temperatures-111680173072716.html
- [4] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 7: Climate Change > consequences of climate change in India > p. 17
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis is a classic 'Hybrid' question: Statement I is static Geography (Majid Husain) while Statement II is Applied Science from Current Affairs. You didn't need to read the specific World Bank report; you needed to understand the *definition* of wet-bulb temperature (physics of sweating) and the general climate vulnerability of Peninsular India.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Does the World Bank warning that India could become one of the first places where wet-bulb temperatures routinely exceed 35°C indicate that Peninsular India is likely to experience increased flooding, tropical cyclones, and droughts?
- Statement 2: Does the World Bank warning that India could become one of the first places where wet-bulb temperatures routinely exceed 35°C indicate that survival of humans and other animals would be threatened because sweating/perspiration would no longer effectively shed body heat?
- Reports projected warming in Peninsular India (3–4°C by end of 21st century).
- Explicitly links warming to more violent/stormy weather and an approximate 50% rise in tropical cyclone frequency.
- Identifies tropical cyclones and heavy precipitation as primary meteorological causes of floods.
- Specifies cloudbursts and intense rainfall (including from cyclones) as drivers of flood events.
- Notes Peninsular rivers are generally seasonal, causing scarcity in dry months.
- Explains that the same regions can experience floods during rains and drought in dry months, indicating vulnerability to both extremes.
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