Extreme heat waves in south and southeast Asia are a sign of things to come
Since April 2024, wide areas of south and southeast Asia, from Pakistan to the Philippines, have experienced prolonged extreme heat. Covering some of the most densely populated regions in the world, the series of heat waves ...
Many pupils in India, Bangladesh, and Philippines have been told to stay at home for days due to a severe health risk from extreme heat, while the heat waves are becoming a major issue in India's election. Bangladesh even closed all primary schools for weeks while the temperature reached 43.8°C on April 30.
Once the temperature goes above 38°C, it exceeds the core human body temperature (about 37°C) and the chance of heat exhaustion and even heatstroke increases dramatically. This is compounded by increasing humidity in the region which puts additional heat stress on the human body, as sweat is not able to evaporate as effectively (the primary mechanism for cooling the human body).
That is why extreme heat in a tropical country can be less pleasant and more dangerous than the same temperature in a desert.
Parts of India, Burma, Thailand and Cambodia were extremely hot almost all April. Credit: Neven Fuckar / Data: MSWX