South Asia suffers record heat wave

A rapid study by European scientists has revealed the impact of man-made global warming on the recent extreme weather. They calculated the odds of record temperatures occurring with and without rising CO2 emissions.

The weather is extreme hot now and everyone is looking for ways of surviving the heatwave. .

The leaders of eight South Asian nations are set to discuss via video conference a strategy to stop the spread of COVID-19. Over 120 cases have so far been reported across the region.

In Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, people ignored physical distancing rules to celebrate Eid, the most important Muslim holiday. With COVID-19 infections on the rise in South Asia, this could lead to a catastrophe.

As a sexual minority within a conservative religion, LGBT Muslims in South Asia are supporting each other on social media platforms in a climate of fear and discrimination.

The US National Weather Service has said the heat wave "will likely be one of the most extreme in recorded history" for parts of the region, as people are warned to take precautions against "life threatening" heat.

Hundreds seek shelter at a cooling center in Portland, Oregon's biggest city, to escape one of the state's hottest heat waves on record. Portland hit 45°C (114°F) on Monday according to the US National Weather Service (NWS), breaking back-to-back records set over the weekend.

Coroners are investigating a surge in sudden deaths in British Colombia. Around 100 more people than usual have died over a four-day period as temperatures reached nearly 50 Celsius.

Over 90% of the small town town in British Columbia was destroyed, prompting the evacuation of over 1,000 people. Prior to the fire, Lytton had seen three consecutive days of record high temperatures.

Fires have devastated towns in British Columbia, with the military on standby to respond to the threat.

Wildfires blazed through California, Arizona, and Oregon, fueled by winds and a lack of humidity. Two firefighters lost their lives during an aircraft rescue operation in Mohave County.

As the southern European nation battles hundreds of wildfires, Prime Minister Mitsotakis has warned that the country is facing its worst heat wave for 30 years. Extreme weather in 1987 claimed more than 1,500 lives.