Heatwave Highlights Climate Vulnerabilities in Southeast Asia

Picture: Amihan Women/Facebook group

In an article by Global Voices, Sydney Allen analyzes the climate vulnerabilities across Southeast Asia.

Myanmar took the brunt of the punishing heat with temperatures above 45 degrees C in most of the country, capping off in the town of Chauk with a record-breaking 48.2 degrees C (119 F). According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), a staggering 1,500 people have reportedly died from heatstroke in Myanmar, a number they compiled through hospital and funeral data. The actual tally could be higher as political instability and internal conflict in Myanmar make these numbers hard to track.

For those who are forced to venture out when the sun is at its peak, the danger can come in minutes. One Burmese resident who declined to be identified for security reasons, said his son, Mann Moon Maung, 36, succumbed to heatstroke less than 15 minutes after showing symptoms.

Elsewhere in the region, the Philippines were forced to close down schools because of the heatwave as temperatures topped 42 degrees C (107.6 degrees F) in some parts of the country, with over half the schools in Metro Manila shortening the school day or closing altogether due to a lack of air conditioning facilities. The El Niño phenomenon has also left the country facing a drought, raising concerns over water shortages and causing major disruption to the agriculture industry. The drought is so extreme that the ruins of a town submerged 50 years ago with the construction of a reservoir have reappeared as the water supply dries up.