Hydrate and avoid alcohol, caffeine...As heatwave hits Malawi, et al
Malawi is the latest country to be warned of unusually hot weather, with temperatures expected to reach up to 44°C in the coming days.
People in that southern African countries have been urged by the weather bureau to avoid alcohol and caffeine as these drinks could cause dehydration.
Last week, the South African Weather Service issued a heatwave warning across the Gauteng province, with temperatures in Pretoria expected to reach 35 degrees.
Namibia this week warned of a heatwave and reiterated the importance of staying hydrated and staying out of the sun when possible.
In a statement last week, the weather bureau of Malawi says high temperatures are usual for October but are likely to become more frequent and severe due to climate change.
Intense heatwaves also hit parts of North Africa, Europe, the US, and Mexico in July.
In July, the world was warned to prepare to face increasingly intense heatwaves by the United Nations.
“These events will continue to grow in intensity, and the world needs to prepare for more intense heatwaves,” John Nairn, a senior extreme heat advisor at the UN’s World Meteorological Organizasion (WMO), told reporters in Geneva in mid-July.
Health authorities have sounded alarms from North America to Europe and Asia, urging people to stay hydrated and seek shelter from the burning sun, in a stark reminder of the effects of global warming.