Temperatures likely to rise across Myanmar, weather department warns

By Admin 18 Apr 2023

DMG Newsroom
18 April 2023, Sittwe

The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH) has announced that temperature averages may rise across Myanmar’s regions and states in the coming hot season.

The average temperature in Arakan State during the summer is 34 degrees Celsius, with the average temperature in Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U at 40 degrees Celsius, and the temperature of Sittwe and Kyaukphyu at 38 degrees Celsius, said U Hla Tun, deputy director of the DMH.

“This year temperatures are getting hot all over the country. It will be even hotter at the end of April and May,” he added.

DMH urged people to take special care if they are going to walk in the hot sun as heat-related illnesses can occur due to rising temperatures, and can be life-threatening.

The increase in temperatures is a manifestation of climate change, DMH said.

“The temperature during the Thingyan holiday was hotter than the previous year. Now it’s so hot that I can’t sleep at night,” said U Tin Tun, a resident of Sittwe.

The state’s Environmental Conservation Department (ECD) said deforestation is partially to blame.

“Forests produce a lot of oxygen and control groundwater. When there are no forests, they can’t produce oxygen, and we can’t control the groundwater, so the weather changes,” said U Than Myint, head of the Arakan State’s ECD.

Mangrove conservationists point out that there is still a lack of cooperation from the relevant departments regarding deforestation in Arakan State.

In order to prevent forest and mangrove destruction in Arakan State, 390,000 replacement saplings are planted annually by the townships, according to the state’s Forest Department.