India and Pakistan are facing a near 50C heatwave. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
Weather event could affect at least 1 billion people;
Schools have been closed and children are complaining of symptoms related to high temperatures;
Another direct impact occurs on the glaciers of the Himalayan mountains.
Two South Asian countries are facing scorching temperatures: in India and Pakistan, the thermometer has hit nearly 50C. The climate event could affect at least 1 billion people and the authorities are already organizing measures to warn the population. Schools have been closed and children are complaining of symptoms related to high temperatures, such as vomiting and convulsions. The information comes from UOL.
“India and Pakistan are facing a record heatwave. It started in early April and has people gasping in every shadow,” Pakistan’s climate change minister Sherry Rehman said in a statement.
The temperature in New Delhi approached 48 degrees Celsius on Thursday (28th). The heatwave is expected to hit east India for five days and into the weekend, according to the Indian Meteorological Agency. One of the energy saving measures in parts of the country was the closure of factories. Other places are already suffering from water shortages.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen so much heat in April,” said Dara Singh, 65, who runs a small shop in New Delhi.
Rehman called on the federal and state governments to take action against the heat wave. In Pakistan, the temperature reached a maximum of 47°C in parts of the country.
Another direct impact occurs on the glaciers of the Himalayan, Hindu Kush and Karkorum mountains. Of the lakes formed by melting, at least 30 are at risk of flooding. This means that another 7 million people are at risk in these places