Philippines 'Feels Like 45 Degrees'... School Closures Due to Record Heatwave

Amid record-breaking heatwaves continuing across Southeast Asia, the Philippines has decided to suspend in-person classes at all public schools nationwide for two days.

According to AFP and local media on the 28th (local time), the Philippine Department of Education announced via its official Facebook page that in-person classes at all public schools nationwide will be fully suspended on the 29th and 30th, with remote learning implemented instead. The department explained that this decision was made due to health risks associated with attending classes in classrooms lacking adequate air conditioning.

Recently, the perceived temperature in the Philippines has approached 50 degrees Celsius, leading some public schools and schools in the capital, Manila, to already suspend in-person classes. A teacher told a local radio station, "There have already been reports of high blood pressure, dizziness, and fainting among students and teachers over the past few days."

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported that the temperature in Manila reached 38.8°C on the 27th, marking the highest temperature since May 1915. PAGASA warned that temperatures near Manila will remain around 37°C for the next three days, with heat indices reaching up to 46°C when humidity is factored in, posing a dangerous risk of heatstroke with prolonged exposure. The heatwave is expected to continue until mid-May.

Meanwhile, not only the Philippines but also neighboring Southeast Asian countries are suffering from intense heatwaves. Although the Southeast Asian region typically experiences high temperatures from March to May just before the rainy season, this year’s heat intensity has increased.

In Thailand, at least 30 people have died from heatstroke this year alone. This is an unusually high toll compared to the 37 heatstroke deaths recorded throughout last year. The capital, Bangkok, has seen temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius, with heat indices surpassing 52 degrees Celsius, prompting a "very dangerous" heatwave warning.

In Indonesia, the ongoing heat has led to an increase in mosquito populations, causing a surge in dengue fever cases transmitted by mosquitoes. In the 15th week of this year, Indonesia reported 62,000 dengue fever cases, a 174.9% increase compared to the previous year.

Additionally, Myanmar, a neighboring country of Thailand, experienced a heatwave with temperatures soaring to 45.9 degrees Celsius the previous day. In Bangladesh, the temperature in the northwestern Chuadanga region reached 42.6 degrees Celsius on the 20th, marking the highest level this year, while the capital Dhaka recently recorded 40.6 degrees Celsius, the highest in 58 years.

The ongoing heatwaves appear to be influenced by the El Ni?o phenomenon. El Ni?o is a warming of sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean above average levels. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned since the second half of last year that global temperatures could reach record levels due to El Ni?o.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.