The Bangkok city government (Thailand) has issued an extreme heat warning because the heat index is expected to rise above 52°C. The temperature on streets across the Thai capital reached 40.1°C on April 24, and maintained this temperature on April 25.
Thailand’s Ministry of Health said late on April 24 that 30 people died from heatstroke between January 1 and April 17, compared with 37 people in all of 2023.
Streets of Bangkok (Thailand)
The Bangkok Department of Environment warned that the heat index, a measure of temperature that takes into account humidity, wind speed and other factors, was at “extremely dangerous” levels.
Thailand experienced a heatwave this week, with a temperature of 44.2°C recorded in Lampang province (northern Thailand) on April 22, missing last year’s record of 44.6°C. In addition, the government of Udon Thani province (northeastern Thailand) also warned of scorching temperatures on April 25.
Deputy director general of Thailand’s Department of Disease Control Direk Khampaen said that officials in the country are urging the elderly and those with risk factors such as obesity to stay indoors and drink water regularly.
April is usually the hottest time of the year in Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia, but this year conditions have become more extreme due to the El Nino weather phenomenon.
An extreme heat wave has affected many parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia this week, causing 7,000 schools across the Philippines to close classes, and many people gathered to pray for rain in Bangladesh.
Previously, 2023 saw record levels of heat stress globally. The United Nations Meteorological Organization says Asia is warming at an unusually fast rate.
