Heat wave and floods sweep globe

Following the recent hot spell, the country is passing Sraban, the second month of the Bangladesh monsoon. Today is the month's 10th day. Normally, in mid-Sraban Bangladesh experiences bouts of heavy shower, and almost day- and night-long drizzle. In the recent years, the 2-month season of monsoon appears to have left Bangladesh. The average rainfall in monsoon in the country has marked a sharp decline. In years, the whole season of monsoon passes almost without rain. In its place, an overcast sky punctuated by light rain would define Sraban. The opening monsoon-month of Asharh is not much different nowadays. In fact, the country's weather has for over a decade been following the pattern that could better be called unpredictable. But the years-long behaviour of the weather shows a distinctive feature: the dominance of heat and high temperature. It unmistakably points to the scourge of global heating. Despite being a small country, Bangladesh's recent lurch towards rise in its temperature includes it among the countries vulnerable to heat wave comprising a large area of the planet.

Of late extreme heat coupled with a disruptive climate has been forecast in large swathes of the world.  Starting from the United States to Europe, South Korea and Japan, tens of millions have been compelled to battle extremely high temperatures and flooding. Meanwhile in Europe, the ongoing heat wave comes up as an instance of clear threat from the much dreaded global warming. Thanks to the telltale prospects, a rise in temperature compelled the Italian authorities to issue a red alert for its 16 cities including Rome and Florence. Besides, the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, it was warned, could be hit by temperatures as high as 48C, with the European Space Agency warning, "potentially the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe." Flooding and high temperatures are nothing new to Europe these days. But the recent ferocity of heat waves is feared to emerge as veritable nightmares in the continent. Parts of Greece were marked as areas vulnerable to extreme heat in July measuring 44C.

Besides, regions of France, Germany, Spain and Poland are bearing the brunt of high temperature. To the east, Japan is being battered by both heat and flooding. Temperature in eastern Japan was feared to reach 38 to 39C in mid-July, with weathermen warning it could go past previous records. The northern Japanese city of Akita witnessed more rain in half day than typical of the whole month of July. This very instance, as per a report by the country's broadcaster NHK, shows the extent of the catastrophic impact left by the flood on the island-nation. The driving rains also triggered a landslide. It has forced 9,000 people to evacuate their homes.  The downpours singled out by the country's meteorological authorities as the "heaviest rain ever experienced", have also hit the southern part of Japan, leaving at least 11 people dead.

As part of the climate disaster's impact on a large tract of the world, monsoon rains have reportedly killed at least 90 people in northern India. The bout followed a spell of searing heat. The flood-prone monsoon rivers of Bangladesh have yet to swell up this year. The scenario is different in India. The Yamuna River flowing through Delhi, the country's capital, has reached a record high --- 208.66 metres, more than a metre over the flood height seen in 1978. The flood threatens the capital's low-lying areas. Ironically, the present Delhi floods follow a terrible spell of extremely high temperature of 50C a year ago. Disastrous monsoon floods are a common occurrence in the sub-continent, including Bangladesh. The tale doesn't end here. South Korea also unveils a grim scenario. At least 22 people have been killed by deadly flooding in the country having maritime border with Japan. Torrential rains have continued to batter the country's central regions. Flood waters have submerged roads, swept away cars and disrupted railways. Thousands have been forced to evacuate their homes on the path of the flood.

The people of the US are watching how a powerful heat wave has stretched from California to Texas. The residents of Arizona are said to be the worst impacted. As periodic wildfires define southern California, this year it is fighting the one of Riverside County that has burned over 1,214 hectares and prompted evacuation. The North African country Morocco, not a stranger to hot weather, is now bracing for the above-average temperatures with highs of 47C in some provinces. The ME country of Jordan dumped 214 tonnes of water on a wildfire that broke out in a forest amid the heat wave. Iraq is passing through a similar ordeal caused by its scorching summer like that found in the countries of the region.

According to experts, the planet Earth hasn't seen a full-scale assault of climate change impacts like the present one in the recent years. That the planet has been destined to go through this weather-related nightmare shows how vulnerable humans are to the wrath of a climate being battered through the times following the Industrial Revolution. Human activities, particularly the emission of heat-trapping greenhouse gases, are mostly responsible for making the earth warmer. It has long been proved sufficiently that air temperatures on earth have been on the rise since the Industrial Revolution. The then industrial powers, now calling the shots in every global sphere, can only shift blames. They cannot absolve themselves of the excesses done in the post-Industrial Revolution times. Ironically, the poorer nations find themselves as fall guys.

shihabskr@ymail.com