New research has revealed that the intense heatwave in Asia was primarily due to climate change, with temperatures soaring more than two degrees Celsius in some areas. The research concluded that climate change had exacerbated the chances of a heatwave occurring by thirty times. April saw extreme levels of heat in India, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Laos with temperatures soaring up to 45C. This was a record high for many of these countries.
The sweltering heatwave caused fatalities in certain countries, resulting in melted asphalt and numerous people being hospitalized. Other Asian countries that have been experiencing remarkably warm temperatures are China, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines.
World Weather Attribution, an independent research institute, found that Thailand’s heatwave was intensified by the high humidity and a plethora of forest fires during the same period.
In the Philippines, the temperature rose to a whopping 37C five days later, causing heat stroke in roughly 150 schoolkids. Tragically, thirteen people in Navi Mumbai, India lost their lives to heat stroke after attending an awards ceremony.
Maximiliano Herrara, an expert in climate history, labelled this the worst heatwave to ever hit Asia on his Twitter account.
Nevertheless, the full effect of a heatwave may not be discovered until afterwards. It could take weeks or months before experts evaluate and analyze the death tolls and complete their research, as outlined in this research. Emmanuel Raju, based in Copenhagen and one of the contributors to the study, mentioned that the disastrous impacts of this heatwave will be worse for those living in poverty or who work outdoors such as farmers, vendors and construction workers.
This team relies on atmospheric conditions and computer-generated simulations to assess the connections between global warming and extreme meteorological occurrences. Despite not being peer-reviewed, their studies are usually published in prestigious academic journals thereafter.
A report this week uncovered that a crucial temperature threshold is expected to be exceeded in the near future for the initial time ever. According to scientists, our chances of surpassing the 1.5C global warming limit by 2027 have risen to 66%. This could mean serious consequences for our environment if we don’t take any action soon.
