by Naim-Ul-Karim
DHAKA, Apr 22 (NNN-XINHUA) – Streets in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, yesterday, had fewer pedestrians than usual.
Also, work had stopped in some open-air construction sites, in view of the deadly heat scorching in Dhaka, where bitumen on several roads had melted in the midday heat, further evidence of the blistering temperature.
Millions of people are at risk of heat-related impacts in the country, experts warned, linking the early onset of an intense summer to climate change.
A middle-aged woman reportedly died from heat stroke, yesterday morning. So far, four people, allegedly due to heat stroke, died in the past two days in the country.
To cope with the unbearable heat, the government has decided to keep all schools, colleges, madrasas (prayer houses), and technical education institutions across the country, closed from Apr 21 to 27.
The government urged the relevant authorities to take precautionary measures, to manage blistering summer heat, which touched highs of 42 degrees Celsius in parts of the country.
The heat started in early Apr and continues to leave the people gasping in whatever shade they find in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has already issued a “heatwave warning.” “A very severe heatwave is sweeping over Pabna, Jashore and Chuadanga districts, as severe heat wave is sweeping over Dhaka and the rest of Khulna divisions and the district of Rajshahi,” it said.
Afroza Sultana, a meteorologist who works at the Storm Warning Centre of the BMD, told Xinhua yesterday that, there is a possibility of further severe to very severe heat waves later this month, with maximum temperatures reaching up to 45 degrees Celsius in parts of the country.
Sultana said, Bangladesh’s highest temperature of this summer season was recorded at 42.6 degrees Celsius, in Jashore, on Saturday.
In Dhaka, the temperature rose to 40 degrees Celsius Saturday, she said.
“The prevailing heat wave over several divisions, including Rangpur may continue and may spread further for the next couple of days,” she added, quoting the BMD’s “Warning Message for Heat Wave.”
In recent years, natural disasters like floods and heatwaves, induced by extreme weather, owing to climate change, have caused more frequent-than-usual disasters in the country of some 165 million people.
Experts said, the heatwaves would likely escalate in the coming years, due to erratic rainfall and high temperatures, posing a threat to Bangladesh, one of the biggest victims of global warming.
Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, experienced 40.6 degrees Celsius on Apr 16 last year, the highest in the capital in 58 years.– NNN-XINHUA
