In the Philippines, it’s ‘so hot you can’t breathe’ as heat index touches 47 degrees Celsius

The heat index, a measure of what temperatures feel like accounting for humidity, has reached ‘danger’ levels in at least 30 cities and municipalities

And the Philippine state weather forecaster’s chief climatologist said there was a 50 per cent chance of the heat intensifying in the coming days

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A woman uses a hand fan to cool herself during a hot day in Manila last week. Sweltering temperatures in the Philippine capital have forced many schools to switch to remote learning. Photo: Reuters

Published: 3:02pm, 24 Apr 2024Updated: 1:05am, 25 Apr 2024

Extreme heat scorched the Philippines on Wednesday, forcing schools in some areas to suspend in-person classes and prompting warnings for people to limit the amount of time spent outdoors.

The months of March, April and May are typically the hottest and driest in the archipelago nation, but conditions this year have been exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon.

“It’s so hot you can’t breathe,” said Erlin Tumaron, 60, who works at a seaside resort in Cavite province, south of Manila, where the heat index reached 47 degrees Celsius (116.6 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday.

“It’s surprising our pools are still empty. You would expect people to come and take a swim, but it seems they’re reluctant to leave their homes because of the heat.”

The heat index was expected to reach the “danger” level of 42 degrees or higher in at least 30 cities and municipalities on Wednesday, the state weather forecaster said. The heat index measures what a temperature feels like, taking into account humidity.

There was a 50 per cent chance of the heat intensifying in the coming days, said Ana Solis, chief climatologist at the state weather forecaster.

“We need to limit the time we spend outdoors, drink plenty of water, bring umbrellas and hats when going outdoors,” Solis said.