Myanmar towns record highest temperature in nearly 60 yrs

Yangon, June 2 (IANS) Two towns in Myanmar recorded the hottest day in nearly 60 years two days ago, the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology said.

Hkamti, a town of western Myanmar’s Sagaing region, logged its highest temperature in 58 years at 42.3 degrees Celsius, said the weather bureau on Thursday.

Myitkyina, a town of northern Myanmar’s Kachin state, registered its hottest day in 57 years at 41.8 degrees Celsius, it added as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

Other towns in the Southeast Asian country have also suffered scorching weather in April and May, according to the weather agency.

The increase in temperature can lead to extreme weather events such as unusual monsoon, lightning, strong winds and unusual rainfall, U Hla Tun, director of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, told Xinhua.

April and May are typically the hottest months in Myanmar in a year as the temperature spikes before monsoon season begins.