One of the key causes of Guwahati’s recent mosquito population explosion is the changing weather.
Entomologists claim that the scorching heat and lack of required rains had created a favourable environment for mosquito reproduction, causing a threat across the city.
Health department entomologists said that during a recent survey, the department found no household source of mosquito breeding in the city. They suspected that stagnant water in the city’s drainage system was the primary source of the recent mosquito population explosion.
Dr. Ranjeet Neog of the College of Veterinary Science said, “The changing weather conditions resulting from climate change, have a direct impact on the increase in the mosquito population. Hot weather is very suitable for the breeding of mosquitoes and in the city we are experiencing an increase in normal temperature in recent times. As a consequence, Guwahati into a suitable place for mosquitoes to breed.”
Dr. Neog said that mosquitoes require stagnant water to breed, and Guwahati has many of such. He went on to say that if there is enough rain and storms, the mosquito population will drop significantly.
He expects that with enough rain in the coming days, the threat would be mitigated to some level. At the same time, he said that the city’s drainage requires suitable outlet systems in order to prevent a surge in mosquito population in the near future.
