Extreme heat in parts of Asia

News of excessive heat comes in waves this capricious spring. An episode of extreme heat is recorded in Thailand and the Philippines on Wednesday. Thailand is going through a new period of heatwave, the residents of the capital Bangkok being urged by the authorities to stay at home.

"Warning, the heat index has reached the level considered extremely dangerous. Please refrain from spending time outdoors," warned the municipality (BMA) on Facebook. The maximum level of health risk is reached in Bangkok when the perceived temperature, calculated according to an index that takes into account, in addition to temperature, wind and humidity, exceeds 52 degrees Celsius. April is considered the hottest month in this country, but in 2024 the heatwave is exacerbated by the meteorological phenomenon El Nino, which causes near-record increases in the mercury in thermometers. On Tuesday, the northern province of Lampang recorded a peak heat of 44.2 degrees Celsius, just a few tenths off the record set last year in Tak (44.6 degrees Celsius), according to the TMD. In Bangkok, the metropolis with ten million inhabitants highly appreciated by tourists, the temperatures could rise even more in the coming days, the local authorities warned.

March, April and May are usually the hottest and driest months of the year in the Philippine archipelago, but even here the weather conditions are aggravated this year by the El Nino weather phenomenon, according to climatologist Ana Solis from the National Meteorological Agency. In Manila, many schools have suspended face-to-face classes in favor of distance learning. In the capital, the temperature felt was 45 degrees Celsius. The heat could intensify in the coming days, the specialist indicated, according to which this probability is 50%. About half of the Philippine provinces are officially in a state of drought, and the country is among the most vulnerable to the consequences of climate change. The year 2023 was the warmest on record worldwide. In Asia, the impact of heat waves is becoming more severe.