TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) confirmed that most of the countries in South Asia had been hit by a heatwave since last week until today, April 25.

The meteorological agency in Asian countries, such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, China, Thailand, and Laos reported hot temperatures of more than 40 degrees Celsius which have lasted for the past few days with new maximum temperature records in their regions.

The China Meteorological Agency (CMA) reported that over 100 weather stations in the country recorded the highest temperature in history this April. Japan also declared extraordinary heat in recent days.

Kumarkhali, a city in the Kusthia district of Bangladesh, was the hottest area with a recorded daily maximum temperature of 51.2 degrees Celsius on April 17, 2023. Meanwhile, the other 10 hottest cities in Asia were mostly in Myanmar and India.

In Indonesia, the daily maximum temperature was recorded at 37.2 degrees Celsius at the BMKG’s observation station in Ciputat last week, although in general, the highest temperature in several locations has been in the range of 34-36 degrees Celsius by far.

BMKG Head Dwikorita Karnawati explained that the scorching hot temperature in April in the Asian region was climatologically influenced by the apparent motion of the sun. "However, the heat spike in the South Asian sub-continent, Indochina and East Asia in 2023 is one of the most significant spikes,” she said in a press release on April 25.

According to her, climate experts concluded that ongoing global warming and climate change contribute to making heat waves more likely to occur more frequently.

Dwikorita, however, gave the good news that the heat in Indonesia is not a heatwave. In addition, the daily maximum temperature has started to fall.

The hot temperatures in the archipelago are a phenomenon resulting from the apparent motion of the sun which is a normal cycle and occurs every year, so the potential for hot air temperatures can be repeated at the same period every year.

Meanwhile, the maximum temperature jump reaching 37.2 degrees Celsius in Ciputat last week only occurred one day. The high temperature has fallen and now the maximum temperature observed is in the range of 34 up to 36°C in some locations.

The maximum temperature variation of 34°C-36°C for the Indonesian region is still within the climatological normal range compared to previous years. Climatologically, for Jakarta, the maximum temperature reaches its peak in April, May, and June, apart from October and November.

Dwikorita thus urged residents not to panic over circulating information and keep monitoring news from the BMKG.

MARIA FRANSISCA LAHUR

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