Sixty-one people have lost their lives in Thailand due to intense heat this year.
In Thailand, 61 individuals have lost their lives this year due to the intense heat. The Ministry of Health reported that these heat-related deaths occurred nationwide since the start of the year. The majority of these incidents happened in the heavily agricultural northeastern portion of the country. Previously, there had only been 37 heat-related fatalities in the entire year of 2023.
For several weeks, Thailand experienced extreme high temperatures. Authorities issued daily heat alerts in the capital, Bangkok, for a full week in April when the perceived heat reached over 52 degrees Celsius.
The rainy season in Thailand started later than usual this year, and the drought and intense heat persisted longer than anticipated. In recent days, thunderstorms in specific regions brought some relief. However, authorities cautioned about possible flooding.
In April, Thailand registered maximum temperatures of 44.2 degrees Celsius in the northern province of Lampang, just below the national record of 44.6 degrees recorded the previous year.
Scientists often remind us that human-induced climate change is causing more frequent, extended, and more severe heatwaves. This year's temperatures are made worse by the El Niño climate occurrence. Additionally, as per the United Nations World Weather Organization, Asia is warming at a faster rate than the global average.
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The recorded heat-related fatalities in Thailand for this year surpassed the total count from 2023 by almost twice. As the rainy season arrived later than anticipated, the drought and intense heat continued longer than expected, leading to alarming situations like heat stroke. With another year of extreme heat conditions, scientists reiterate their concerns about human-induced climate change causing more frequent and severe heatwaves.
Source: www.ntv.de
