Extreme Rain Hits Africa, Asia Roasts Hot

Referring to the Indian Meteorology Department, the country has experienced a heatwave in recent weeks during the pre-summer period with temperatures reaching mid-40 degrees Celsius. It is mentioned that during March-May 2024, the number of days of above-normal heatwaves is likely to occur in most parts of the country, except for Northeast India, the Western Himalayan Region, the Southwest Peninsula, and the West Coast.

Also read: Extreme Hot Weather Hits Southeast Asia

“The frequency of heat waves, their duration and their maximum duration are increasing. This is caused by global warming. In heatwave regions in India, the total duration of heatwaves has increased by about 3 days in the last 30 years. IPCC model projections show an increase of about two heat waves and a heat wave duration of 12-18 days by 2060,” according to the India Meteorological Department.

Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and the Philippines have also experienced extreme temperatures that have disrupted the daily activities of their communities. In the Philippines, thousands of schools were closed, including those in the capital region of Metro Manila. Half of the 82 provinces in the country also experienced drought, and almost 31 other provinces faced the dry season or dry conditions.

Also read: Hot Weather and Jeepney Drivers Strike, Philippines Closes Schools

On Friday, the Philippine Weather Bureau warned that temperatures in Metro Manila and 31 other provinces are projected to reach dangerous levels. The heat index is expected to reach 42 degrees Celsius in Quezon City, the country's most populous city.

Meanwhile, the Thai Meteorological Department has warned that high temperatures are expected to continue until the end of this month. On Sunday (28/4/2024), the highest temperature in northern Thailand ranged from 39-44 degrees Celsius, while in the northeast it ranged from 42-44 degrees Celsius.

In the capital city of Thailand, Bangkok, the city's environmental department has issued a warning regarding the real temperature or perceived level of heat (a combination of temperature and humidity) which has reached a very hazardous level.

The Ministry of Health in Thailand reported on Wednesday (24/4/2024) that 30 deaths related to heat have been recorded since the beginning of this year. The number is not far from the total of 37 deaths due to heat stroke reported throughout 2023.

In neighboring country, Myanmar, the temperature has soared to 45.9 degrees Celsius for a week. The extremely hot condition is expected to continue for the next few days.

WMO Regional Director for Asia and the Southwest Pacific said that April is usually the month with the hottest temperatures in the South Asia and Southeast Asia regions. However, El Niño and climate change are pushing temperatures to very high levels.

The latest assessment report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that, "In Asia, extreme heat temperatures have increased while extreme cold temperatures have decreased, and this trend will continue for the next few decades (high confidence)."

Last year, the World Weather Attribution study found that "Extreme heat and humidity in South Asia in April 2023 was mostly caused by climate change, causing harm to vulnerable and less fortunate communities."

Floods in Africa

The Regional Climate Center for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in Eastern Africa, known as ICPAC, estimates unusual rainfall from April 23-30 in several areas of the region, including northern and western parts of Kenya, central and southern Ethiopia, southern Somalia and Djibouti, as well as southern parts of northern and western Uganda.

In Kenya, the Kianamu weather station (northeast of Nairobi) recorded rainfall of around 120mm on April 24. The Kenya Meteorological Department has issued a warning regarding heavy rainfall continuing at least until April 28 in many areas, including Lake Victoria Basin, Rift Valley, Western and Eastern Rift Valley Highlands, Southeast Lowlands, coastal and northern sectors, and continuing from April 25, 2024.

Asia is still the region most affected by disasters in the world due to weather, climate and water threats.

A major flood also occurred in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in mid-April. This is surprising considering that the country is known for having a hot, arid desert climate and very low annual precipitation. The Dubai International Airport was closed and busy roads turned into rushing currents.

On April 16, 2024, the National Meteorology Center announced that the UAE had experienced the biggest rainfall in the last 75 years. The "Khatm al-Shakla" region in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, received rainfall of 254.8 mm in less than 24 hours, making this country achieve an extraordinary event recorded in its climate history.

In Dubai, the average annual rainfall for the period of 1991-2020 is around 80 mm; slightly further to the east, it is around 120-140 mm. Slow-moving storm systems also had a significant impact on Oman on April 14-15, 2024, triggering flash floods and reportedly killing 17 people.

According to climate expert WMO Alvaro Silva, El Niño may be playing a role in the occurrence of extreme rain in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. This is due to the weakening of El Niño, which leads to a positive Indian Ocean Dipole due to record warm sea temperatures in the northwest of the Indian Ocean. This triggers evaporation that affects extreme rainfall.

Climate change factors

Deputy Secretary-General of WMO, Ko Barret, said, "Climate change worsens the frequency and severity of these events, causing a significant impact on society, the economy, and most importantly, human life and the environment where we live."

Ko Barrett highlights how extreme weather in Asia in 2024 continues the trend reported in the WMO State of the Climate in Asia 2023. This indicates that Asia remains the region most affected by weather, climate, and water-related disasters in the world in 2023. Floods and storms cause the highest number of casualties and economic losses. Meanwhile, the impact of heatwaves is becoming more severe.

"Extreme heat is becoming the biggest silent killer. Heat-related deaths are rarely reported, so the true scale of premature deaths and economic losses - in terms of reduced workforce productivity, agricultural losses, and pressure on the power grid - is not accurately reflected in statistics," he said.