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Published : 20 Apr 2024, 09:47 PM
With tens of millions across Bangladesh in the grips of a dangerous heatwave early summer, temperatures have hit a ‘very severe’ level in the southwestern Jashore and Chuadanga districts.
Chuadanga has been recording the highest temperatures of this season for several days, but on Saturday, the mercury shot up to 42.6 degrees Celsius in Jashore.
The highest temperature in Chuadanga was 42.4 degrees Celsius, while Dhaka crossed 40 degrees Celsius for the first time this season to record 40.4 degrees Celsius.
Temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius are considered ‘severe’ and 42 degrees Celsius ‘very severe’.
- In 2022, Rajshahi recorded its highest temperature of 41.2 degrees Celsius on Apr 15, while Jashore had previously recorded 42 degrees Celsius in 2014 and 41.2 degrees Celsius in 2021.
- In 1949, Bangladesh started recording temperature data, and to this day, the highest recorded temperature was on May 18, 1972 in Rajshahi — 45.1 degrees Celsius.
- The temperature in Dhaka reached a five-decade high of 40.2 degrees Celsius on Apr 22, 2014, surpassing the previous record of 39.6 degrees Celsius on Apr 27, 2009.
- On Apr 25, 2021, the highest temperature recorded in Dhaka was 39.5 degrees Celsius. However, the city's highest temperature ever was recorded in 1960, when it hit a scorching 42.3 degrees Celsius.
In Jashore, the 250-bed General Hospital has seen a rise in the number of patients with strokes and heart diseases.
As many as eight people died from these diseases at the hospital’s emergency department from Apr 17 to Apr 19, said the department’s physician Dr Bichitra Mallik.
The hospital admitted 38 children with diarrhoea in this period, according to her.
“It feels as if the air is throwing flames in the afternoon. It’s impossible to work in this heat,” said Mohammad Mohiuddin, a resident of the town’s Kadamtala.
The streets of Chuadanga were empty. Some took refuge under the trees.
“My face feels like it is burning. I’m resting under the tree because I can’t pedal my rickshaw,” said rickshaw-puller Kawsaer Ahmed.
The extreme heat has forced the government to shut schools and colleges for a week.
Meteorologist Quazi Zebunnesa said the heatwave may ease by Apr 25, but it is likely to continue throughout the month.
“And there’s no possibility of heavy rains this month,” she added.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department on Friday issued a three-day heatwave warning.
In the forecast for Sunday, it said the heatwave is likely to continue.
It said the heatwave sweeping over Dhaka and the rest of Khulna Division, and the districts of Rajshahi and Pabna was severe.
The level was mild to moderate in Barishal Division and the rest Rajshahi Division and the districts of Mymensingh, Moulvibazar, Feni, Cox’s Bazar, Chandpur and Rangamati.
