Extreme heat scorched parts of South and Southeast Asia Wednesday, prompting schools across the Philippines to suspend classes, heat warnings in the Thai capital and worshippers in Bangladesh to pray for rain.

The high temperatures were recorded just a day after the United Nations said Asia was the region that suffered the most disasters from climate and
weather hazards in 2023, with floods and storms the chief causes of casualties and economic losses.

Extensive scientific research has found climate change is causing heatwaves to become longer, more frequent and more intense.

“It’s so hot you can’t breathe,” said Erlin Tumaron, 60, who works at a Philippine seaside resort in Cavite province, south of Manila, where the heat index reached 47 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday.

“It’s surprising our pools are still empty. You would expect people to come and take a swim, but it seems they’re reluctant to leave their homes because of the heat.”

March, April and May are typically the hottest and driest months in the archipelago but conditions this year have been exacerbated by the El Nino
weather phenomenon.