April 26, 2024

Extreme heat hit parts of South and Southeast Asia on Wednesday (24/4). In the Philippines, all schools were closed, while in Thailand the government warned its citizens of the dangers of the scorching heat hitting Bangkok, while in Bangladesh Muslims prayed for rain.

This high temperature was recorded just a day following the UN stated that Asia was the region that experienced the most disasters due to climate hazards last year, with floods and storms the main cause of casualties and economic losses.

Extensive scientific research has found that climate change is causing heat waves to become longer, more frequent and more intense.

“It’s so hot you can hardly breathe,” said Erlin Tumaron, 60, who works at a Philippine seaside resort in Cavite province, south of Manila, where the heat index hit 47 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday.

“It is surprising that our pool is still empty. You would think people would come and swim, but it seems they are reluctant to leave their homes because of the heat.”

March, April and May are usually the hottest and driest months on the islands, but conditions this year have been made worse by the El Nino weather phenomenon.

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The heat index is expected to reach “danger” levels of 42C (108F) or higher in at least 30 cities and towns on Wednesday, the state forecaster said.

The heat index measures what a temperature is like, taking humidity into account.

The Philippine Department of Education, which oversees more than 47,600 schools, said nearly 6,700 schools suspended in-person classes on Wednesday.

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“There is also a 50% chance of increasing heat in the coming days, Ana Solis, chief climatologist at the state weather forecasting agency,” told AFP.

He said people need to limit the time they spend outdoors, drink plenty of water and carry umbrellas and hats when going outdoors to avoid extreme heat.

A silent killer

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Global temperatures reached record highs last year and the UN’s World Meteorological Organization said Asia was warming at a rapid pace, with the impact of heatwaves in the region becoming more severe.

The WMO’s State of the Climate in Asia 2023 report found that Asia is warming faster than the global average, with temperatures last year almost two degrees Celsius above the 1961 to 1990 average.

“Many countries in the region experienced their hottest year on record in 2023, along with a range of extreme conditions, from droughts and heatwaves to floods and storms,” said WMO Chair Celeste Saulo, describing the report as “sobering”.

WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett said: Extreme heat is increasingly becoming the biggest silent killer.

The report highlights the acceleration of key climate change indicators such as surface temperatures, glacier retreat and sea level rise, and says these will have serious impacts on the region’s people, economies and ecosystems.

“Yet heat-related deaths are under-reported so the true scale of premature deaths and economic loss is not accurately reflected in statistics,” Barrett said.

In Bangladesh, thousands of people gathered in Dhaka to pray for rain as an extreme heat wave forced authorities to close schools across the country.

Bangladesh’s weather bureau said the average maximum temperature in the capital over the past week was 4-5C (7.2-9F) higher than the 30-year average for the same period.

Thai authorities in Bangkok issued an extreme heat warning and urged people to stay indoors for their safety.

Temperatures are forecast to hit 39C (102F) in the Thai capital, while the heat index rose above 52C (126F).

Thailand was hit by a heatwave this week that pushed temperatures in the northern province of Lampang close to a national record of 44.6C (112.3F) last Monday. (AFP/M-3)