Friday, 09 April 2010 21:03 Kyaw Kha
Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - Rising temperatures will result in thunder storms in Burma in the next two months, meteorologist and hydrologist Tun Lwin said.
“We call it thunder storm. Our study reveals that 42 per cent of storms in the Bay of Bengal enter Burma, which is about half. So we must be cautious,” Tun Lwin told Mizzima.
Due to the rising temperature in April and May, there will be cloud formations, which can result in lightning, rain on the plateau, sudden rise of water levels and landslides, he said.
“The thunder storm will affect an area of about 10 miles and can last 4 to 5 hours. People 10 miles from the storm will not even notice it. So we are warning the people,” Tun Lwin said.
Strong winds with speeds of 40 mph are likely and stronger tornado and gale and gusts of wind can endanger vessels.
The average temperature across Burma in April has risen to 3 to 8 degree Celsius above normal so the Ministry of Health has advised people to protect themselves from the heat.
The Met office weather report said the day temperature in Min Buu touched 45.6 degree Celsius (114.1 degree F or nearly 46 degree C), which is a record high this year. The day temperature in Chauk, Min Buu and Magwe was 45 degree Celsius, the report said.
The junta usually tones down weather reports and forecasts to avoid scaring people, so reports and forecasts under the title ‘Special warning’ should be heeded, a Met official said.
The junta was severely criticized nationally and internationally for not warning people in advance regarding Cyclone Nargis in May 2008, which left about 140,000 people dead and missing.
Environmentalists blame rising temperatures on indiscriminate logging and deforestation, where forest cover is severely depleted.
Friday, April 9, 2010
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