People, animals and crops are suffering as a heatwave covers large parts of Asia. Climate experts attribute the excessive heat to climate change and the impact of a powerful El Niño in the western Pacific.

Delhi

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Climate Crisis

Title: How Extreme Heat is Impacting Everyday Life in Asia

Across large portions of Asia, from India to Bangladesh and the Philippines, a severe heatwave is causing widespread distress among people, animals, and crops. According to climate experts, the primary causes of this excessive heat are climate change and a powerful El Niño event in the western Pacific. This combination has led to unusually high temperatures across the region, affecting daily life significantly.

In India, residents of the eastern part faced the hottest April on record, with people struggling to find relief from the unyielding heat. The Indian weather department has forecasted more heatwave days than usual from April through June, affecting not only human populations but also leading to school closures in Kerala state and frequent forest fires across the country. Similarly, in Bangladesh, Rohingya refugees face unbearable conditions in their tarp-made homes, while Manila in the Philippines has introduced a free mobile shower program to help citizens combat the heat.

Agriculture, a critical sector in these regions, has not been spared. In Nueva Ecija, a northern rice-producing province of the Philippines, a drought has unveiled the ruins of a centuries-old town, and farmers report significant crop losses due to the extreme temperatures. Class suspensions and warnings to avoid prolonged outdoor exposure are measures being taken to protect the population from heatstroke.

Educational impacts are also being felt, with schools in Cambodia's capital cutting class hours. The Cambodian Wildlife Rescue Center has even created a new water pond to help keep their elephants cool, indicating the wide-reaching impact of the heatwave on both humans and animals. Patchmanapawit, a Thai conservation scientist, warns that the current extreme heat might be a precursor to even more challenging conditions, stressing the importance of awareness regarding the risks associated with prolonged hot weather.



How extreme heat is impacting everyday life in Asia

From India to Bangladesh and the Philippines, people, animals and crops are suffering under a sweltering heat wave. Climate experts attribute the excessive heat to climate change and the impact of a powerful El Nino in the Western Pacific. Patchmanapawit is a Thai conservation scientist. PATCHMANAPAWIT, Thai Conservation Scientist, National Institute of Climate Change, Bangladesh For the climate change model, it's already shown that we are increasing the average temperature year after year, right? So normally, this year beating the year before. But because of the El Nino effect, that leaves particular region hotter than normal. Here's how it's affecting everyday life. Residents of eastern India experienced their hottest April on record. We are struggling because of the heat. Despite our efforts to keep cool by pouring water on ourselves and on the ground, nothing is working. We can feel steam rising from the ground. The country's weather department has predicted more heat wave days than normal between April and June. In the country's Kerala state, schools have closed. And elsewhere in India, the dry spells have caused frequent forest fires. In neighboring Bangladesh, these Rohingya refugees are trying to keep cool in any way they can. This heat is unbearable, especially in our tarp-made homes. During the daytime, it has been difficult to stay inside, as the tarp soaks in the heat. Schools have been closed, and authorities are warning of forest fires, heatstroke and dehydration. Local government workers in Manila, Philippines, rolled out a free mobile shower to help people through the heat wave. We are doing this program to help with the heat that our citizens are experiencing this dry season. Some people also experience water shortages, and they cannot take a bath, so this program helps give free showers and alleviate the heat for this dry weather. Due to the heat and lack of rain, a receding dam here in the northern rice-producing province of Nueva Ecija has revealed the ruins of a centuries-old town. This farmer north of Manila says the rising temperatures have significantly affected his crops. When the heat is very extreme, we can't produce good quality fruits and vegetables. What is the effect of the heat? Farmers have to suffer a loss from low prices because of the poor quality. The country has also suspended classes, and warned people to take shelter and avoid prolonged exposure outdoors due to the possibility of heatstroke. Schools in Cambodia's capital started to cut classes by a couple of hours to make the day more bearable for students. When the weather is so hot, it gives me a headache, and I have difficulty staying to finish the class. Experts worry about what it will mean for education and test scores. South of Phnom Penh, at the Cambodian Wildlife Rescue Center, workers constructed a new water pond to keep their elephants cool. When I feel hot, I think of my elephant, too, because animals here are in the enclosure, not living in the wild. Animals living in the wild, they can run to find water. But these animals here are in the enclosure, so we must think of their needs of water. Conservation scientist Manapowit says the region's extreme heat is a bad sign of things to come. An uninhabitable earth pattern is coming, you know, because we might not be familiar with that. We think that we are fine with the hot weather, but now with the temperature, the heat wave, the intensity of the long period of hot weather, I think we have to make sure that people know about the risk as well.

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Climate Crisis