South Asia is experiencing extreme weather conditions, with at least nine killed due to a suspected heat stroke in India’s west, while parts of Bangladesh and neighbouring states are likely to be hit by a cyclone in a couple of days. Extreme temperatures throughout Asia last month were made worse most likely as a result of human-driven climate change, a team of international scientists said. India’s summer temperatures often peak in May, but scientists have predicted more heatwave days than usual this year, largely caused by fewer non-monsoon thunder showers and an active but weakening dry El Nino weather phenomenon At least nine deaths in Rajasthan in India’s west were suspected to have resulted from people falling sick in the sweltering heat, local media said. The state’s disaster management officials told media they had yet to ascertain the cause, as medical examinations were not complete. The news comes after the city of Barmer in Rajasthan topped temperature charts this week with a record 48.8 Celsius (119.84 Fahrenheit) on Thursday.
Weather officials have warned of conditions ranging from a heatwave to severe heatwave in many parts of the state, as well as in the northern states of Punjab and Haryana. Indian weather officials set the heatwave threshold at a maximum temperature of 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in the plains, as well as a departure of at least 4.5 Celsius from the normal maximum temperature. In Pakistan, the climate change ministry said that about 26 districts in the country were boiling under a severe heatwave as of Thursday, with the current spell of sizzling temperature likely to last until May 30. —INP
