Thailand: 61 people have died due to extreme heat since the beginning of the year

The heat wave that has hit Thailand has killed more than sixty people since the start of the year, Thailand’s Ministry of Health said on Friday. Nationwide, 61 people suffered from sunstroke, compared with 37 for all of 2023, according to the press release.

Thailand’s northeast, mostly in farmland, has reported the highest number of deaths, according to the ministry.

In April, the kingdom recorded a temperature of 44.2°C in Lampang (north) province, close to last year’s national record of 44.6°C. For nearly a week, authorities in Bangkok issued daily warnings as the “felt temperature” exceeded 52°C.

Water shortage

Apichart Wachiraphan, head of the Thai ministry’s disease control department, advised people with underlying health conditions to limit their outings.

This year, the country’s hot and dry weather has lasted longer than usual, and the rainy season has been slow to arrive. The tourist archipelago of Koh Phi Phi, made famous by the movie “The Beach” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and other paradise islands are currently suffering from severe water shortages due to exceptional heat, a tourism official and residents said on Thursday. region.

Thunderstorms hit some areas this week, lowering temperatures but prompting authorities to warn of flash floods.

Human-caused climate change will lead to more frequent, longer and more intense heat waves, scientists regularly warn. While El Niño is contributing to exceptionally warm weather this year, Asia is also warming faster than the global average, according to the UN World Meteorological Organization.