Extreme Heat in Southeast Asia and Deadly Flooding in Congo Stealing Headlines

Posted: May 9, 2023 3:18 pm

It has been a week of extreme weather events across the world. From record-setting heat waves to deadly flooding, here is a look back at some of the weather that has made headlines around the globe this week.

Southeast Asia See High Temperature Records Fall

It was a scorcher of a weekend for much of Southeast Asia. A number of all-time heat records were shattered in Laos and Vietnam on Saturday as the mercury hit levels never seen before in each country.

The temperature hit 111.4 degrees in Hoi Xuan, Vietnam, setting an all-time national record. Several other cities in the country also see new regional records fall.

Additionally, the neighboring country of Laos set a new all-time national record when the mercury climbed to 110.3 degrees in the city of Luang Prabang. The Laotian capital city of Vientiane broke its specific historical record with a temperature reading of 108.5 degrees.

The intense heat lingered on Sunday with more records falling. The high temperatures in the Vietnamese city of Tuong Duong catapulted to 111.6 degrees for the warmest reading of the day. Over in Laos, Sunday’s high came in at 110.3 degrees in Luang Prabang.

Other countries in the region to see new records included Cambodia and Thailand. The Thai capital city of Bangkok recorded an all-time high of 105.8 degrees on Sunday.

It has been a much warmer than usual spring for Southeast Asia. Many communities have seen readings hover as high as 6 degrees higher than the historical average for this time of the year.

Complicating the matter is the fact that residents have not found much relief in the overnight hours. Lows have also been exceedingly warmer than average, making it difficult to cool homes. For instance, the city of Sakon Nakhon only fell to 90.5 degrees in the overnight hours on Sunday.

A large area of high pressure anchored in the upper levels of the atmosphere is to blame for the heat wave. Forecasters are offering hope to residents as a front is moving through the area bringing cooler temperatures and isolated rain.

Flooding in Congo Kills Over 400 People

It was weather of a different situation in the eastern Congo. Over 400 people are dead after a mass flooding event in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Heavy rain over the past week has sent rivers overflowing, triggering mudslides that have roared through vulnerable village communities and caused mass devastation.

The villages of Bushushu and Nyamukubi located in the South Kivu’s Kalehe territory saw the brunt of the damage and fatalities. Search and rescue workers have found it difficult to reach the stranded residents because of the mud piling up on the roads.

President Felix Tshisekedi declared a national day of mourning on Monday. Government officials are on site in Kalehe to assess the damage and to help with local response efforts. The government said that is committed to paying for funeral costs and providing medical care to those in need.

This part of the River Congo Basin is susceptible to flooding disasters. For instance, over 120 died in December of 2022 after torrential rainfall produced flooding in the capital city of Kinshasa.

Back in 2020, over 15,000 homes were completely destroyed and 25 people lost their lives when floodwaters swept through the province of South Kivu.

Deadly Earthquake Strikes Japan

One person died and over a dozen more were injured when a powerful earthquake hit central Japan last Friday afternoon.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit off the west coast of the main island of Honshu. The quake came in with a rating of 6.5 according to the data from the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Fortunately, there was no tsunami associated with this quake that happened at a shallow depth near the coast. The tremor also led to a landslide near the epicenter in Suzu City.

Heavy rainfall over the weekend followed the earthquake, increasing the chance of landslides across the already unstable ground. The good news is that high pressure is now in place over the region, giving people time to clean up from the damage inflicted over the last several days.

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