NEW DELHI - A new study shows India is two and a half times more likely to experience deadly heat waves than a half century ago, thanks to a rise in the average temperature of 0.5 degrees Celsius (less than 1 degree Fahrenheit).

The findings are sobering considering that more warming is expected. Much of Asia has been gripped by a heatwave for two weeks, with a record high 53.5 C (128.3 F) set in the Pakistani city of Turbat on May 28.

Even if countries meet the Paris climate agreement goal of limiting global temperature rise to 2 degrees C (3.6 F), the study published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances suggests that would still have a significant impact on mortality.