Concerns in Asia over heat wave with extreme temperatures over 40 degrees

An unprecedented heat wave is wreaking havoc in Asia, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, killing people and destroying crops in India and burning countries including China, Thailand and Myanmar.

heat in india

Authorities in the state of Maharashtra in western India have banned outdoor events since midnight Wednesday after the deaths of 13 participants in a massive government event last Sunday in the region.

India Temperatures here are currently experiencing a significant increase from the record highs that are usually reached at this time of the year, as is happening in other parts of the world. Asiapartly because of the climate crisis.

Minister of Tourism of Maharashtra, Mangal Prabhat Lodhatold the media today that outdoor events in the state where Mumbaiwill be prohibited from noon to 17:00.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), in the last 24 hours, the mercury column in several regions of this Asian country reached 44 degrees, and the temperature these days was 3-5 degrees above normal.

An increase that not only creates problems for people’s health, but also affects the economy of India, ruining tons of crops.

Record temperatures

“Another hot day in Asia records are falling every day (…) And it will only get worse,” meteorologist Maximiliano Herrera said on Twitter on Tuesday, citing 44.6 degrees in Prayagraj (India), 43 degrees in Ishurdi (Bangladesh) and 44 degrees in Kalev ( Burma…).

The meteorologist behind the popular report “Extreme Temperatures Around the World” indicated on April 15 that Thailand reached 45.4 degrees in Taka, according to the Thai Meteorological Department, the country’s first time in its history to exceed 45 degrees. .

Professor Witsanu Attavanich from Kasetsart University in Bangkok pointed out that the heat wave is caused by climate change and warned that the El Niño event will contribute to a hotter and drier climate in the coming months, causing droughts and health problems among the population. population, according to the Bangkok Post.

El Niño causes an increase in temperature that exacerbates the effects of climate change, while La Niña is a colder and wetter phase.

Laos also recorded its highest recorded temperature this week, Herrera said, at 42.7 degrees in Luang Prabang, while China reached 42.4 degrees in Yuanyan (Yunnan) today.

Fears in China

Despite the fact that meteorologists quote the local press in China While assuring that the current weather is not necessarily related to the weather in a few months, Chinese netizens expressed concern about the possible re-release of last summer on local social networks.

Heatwaves then prompted provinces dependent on hydroelectric power, such as Sichuan (center), to restrict energy use by some industries and the government to warn of a “serious threat” to crops.

The heat wave also affected northern Malaysia and the Philippines, where temperatures reached 47 degrees, and there are fears that Boy rising extreme temperatures and water shortages in the coming months, according to the Inquirer portal.

In Singapore, where 2022 was one of the wettest years since 1980 due to the impact of the La Niña, the temperature swings it caused have ended, the dry season has entered into force and the average is expected to be 34 degrees in the weather service on Tuesday. noon for the next two weeks.

The record temperature in the Asian city-state in the first two weeks of April was 36.1 degrees as of today, the 14th.

(According to EFE.)