Heatwave continues to sweep across South Asia

A heatwave has been sweeping across South Asia for several weeks, with temperatures remaining at least five degrees Celsius above the seasonal norm. In some areas temperatures have reached nearly 50C.

India has been one of the countries most affected by the severe weather, with several of its states reeling under the worst drought in decades.

Agriculture has been badly hit in the western state of Maharashtra. The state grows much of the country’s sugarcane, but this crop uses large amounts of water, which leaves people to compete with agriculture for this dwindling natural resource.

• In other parts of the country, authorities have struggled to contain wildfires which have raged across tinder-dry ground.

It has not been dry everywhere, however. In the eastern state of Assam people have been displaced by torrential rain as thunderstorms have developed in the heat.

On a more optimistic note, the Indian Meteorological Department is predicting a slightly above average monsoon season, upon which the country’s farmers rely so heavily.
 [aljazeera.com]
5/5/16
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