Intense heatwave is sweeping over Chuadanga. The highest temperature in the country has been recorded in Chuadanga for the last two days. People in the border districts are suffering from the heatwave. The number of patients suffering from heat is increasing in the hospital. The maximum temperature in Chuadanga district was recorded at At 40.4°C at 3 pm on Thursday (April 18). The district administration has issued a heat alert due to the intense heatwave. It is forbidden to go out of the house without much need. Jaminur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Chuadanga Weather Observatory, said that the intense heat wave may continue for some more days. However, there is no chance of rain.

US officials closed schools and canceled flights, with much of the country battered by winter storms. Millions are now bracing for another harsh weekend. The extreme weather in the United States has led to scores of weather-related deaths in the past week, many of them from hypothermia or traffic accidents, officials and US media reported on Friday. Relentless storms have battered much of the US with low temperatures, heavy snow, ice storms, freezing rain and high winds. Affected regions include the Pacific Northwest, Midwest, Plains, South and Northeast.   Freezing temperatures, blizzard conditions and thick ice have closed schools, knocked out power to thousands and disrupted air travel. More than 1,100 flights were canceled on Friday and another 8,000 were delayed, according to the website Flightaware.com.   Deadly winter in the US Extreme weather conditions caused at least 55 deaths across the country, according to the AP news agency. The southern state of Tennessee alone recorded 19 deaths.  They included five women returning home after a pilgrimage to Mecca who died Tuesday in a tractor-trailer crash on a Pennsylvania highway, police said. In Kentucky, in the southeast, there were five weather-related deaths, Governor Andy Beshear said in a statement on Friday. In northwestern Oregon, three people were electrocuted when a live power line fell on their parked car during an ice storm Wednesday. Deaths were also reported in Illinois, Kansas, New Hampshire, New York, Wisconsin and Washington state, where five people are believed to have succumbed to exposure, local media reported, citing Seattle officials.   Cold weekend in Midwest and South Millions of Americans are bracing for another harsh weekend as the extreme cold extends into the southern United States, a region not used to cold weather. Temperatures are expected to drop as low as -26 degrees Celsius (-15 Fahrenheit) over the weekend in much of Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky and Kansas, the National Weather Service predicted on Friday. "Another Arctic blast will bring cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills to the Plains and the Mississippi Valley to the eastern US," the service said.  

Leaders of several political parties and all groups of Balochistan continued their protest in the Sariab Mill against the extrajudicial killings of Baloch people and non-recovery of missing people, Pakistan vernacular media Qudrat Daily reported. Leaders of several political parties and all groups of Balochistan continued their protest in the Sariab Mill against the extrajudicial killings of Baloch people and non-recovery of missing people, Pakistan vernacular media Qudrat Daily reported.  The dharna continued in Sariab Mill on the second day despite the severe cold. Hundreds of women, children, and elderly people remained in the camp to express solidarity with them. The leaders of various political parties, including all groups of Balochistan National Party, PTM, National Party, and BSO, expressed solidarity with the participants of the long march.  The protestors demanded a judicial inquiry regarding the missing people who have been killed in the encounters since 2021. They demanded 'severe' punishment for those behind the killings and disappearances, the vernacular media Qudrat Daily reported. According to the report, thousands of missing persons are still far away from their loved ones, neither they are being produced in the courts nor do their families have access to them at this time. "Our institution is neither accountable to the court nor the government. They are running their government," the report stated. The families of the missing persons further demanded that all the missing persons should be brought to court and should be given a chance to give their statements. They also demanded judicial inquiry for those killed in encounters so that the facts could come out.  Source: ANI

Over 100 dolphins have been found dead in a tributary of Amazon river in Brazil this past week. Experts suspects the deaths may have been caused by severe drought and rising heat. At least 70 of the remains were found floating on Thursday when the temperature of Lake Tefe's water reached 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) — more than 10 degrees higher than the usual average for this time of the year. Warming water a concern Low river levels during a severe drought have heated water in stretches to temperatures that are intolerable for the dolphins, experts believe. Following a decline for a few days, the water temperature again soared to 37 degrees Celsius (99 Fahrenheit) on Sunday. The region around the lake is a key habitat for mammals and other aquatic species. Large amounts of fish have also died according to local media reports. The scientists are working to rule out other causes like bacterial infections as they do not know with certainty that drought and heat are to blame for the rise in dolphin mortality. "We have around 900 river dolphins and 500 Tucuxis (in the Tefe Lake) and in one week we have already lost around 120 animals between the two of them, which could represent 5% to 10% of the population," Miriam Marmontel, a researcher from the Mamiraua environmental institute, said. Threatened species The Amazon river dolphins — some pink in color — are a unique freshwater species found only in the rivers of South America. A slow reproductive cycle makes their populations especially prone to threats. The freshwater dolphins, or "Tucuxis," are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's red list of threatened species. "Ten percent is a very high percentage of loss, and the possibility that it will increase could threaten the survival of the species in Lake Tefé," Marmontel warned. Researchers on Monday were still recovering dead dolphins in the region where dry rivers have also impacted impoverished riverside communities, beaching their boats on the sand.

Areas of Germany have been hit with thunderstorms and giant hailstones as the "Lambert" low-pressure system moves across the country. Uncovered roofs and falling trees were reported in the central state of Hessen. Severe storms brought heavy rains and damaging winds to several states in Germany on Thursday, as the German Weather Service (DWD) warned of a heightened risk of tornados, storms and extreme hail after weeks of warm weather. The service said the movement of a patch of low pressure — and the presence of muggy and hot subtropical air — would cause the atypical conditions for the country. What is the latest? Transport authorities in the city of Kassel in the central state of Hessen said that bus and rail connections were disrupted by the storm and that it was unclear when normal services would resume. Long-distance trains were no longer operating between the cities of Frankfurt and Hannover, and between Berlin and Hamburg, Germany’s federal railway agency said. Train carriages in a number of cities were made available for stranded passengers to spend the night. Also in Hessen, a number of roofs were ripped off in the town of Waldeck am Edersee, according to a police spokesperson. In the north of the state, there were reports of trees falling onto parked cars, flooded basements and buildings sustaining hail damage.  Emergency authorities in the western city of Neuwied, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, told Germany news agency DPA that people had to be rescued from their cars after rainwater flooded an underpass late on Thursday. What is expected? The DWD said it expected two unusual weather systems to make their presence felt. In the western states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, it expected heavy rain storms that would make their way north and east to Lower Saxony, Hamburg and Saxony-Anhalt, dumping heavy loads of rain into the night. Meanwhile, more localized storms were expected in southwestern Germany, with hailstones of about 5 centimeters (2 inches) in diameter possible and severe gusts of up to 100 kilometers (60 miles) per hour. The DWD said there would be a heightened risk of tornados in central parts of Germany. While tornadoes in Germany are generally not as destructive or as frequent as in some other parts of the world, such as the United States, they can still cause damage to structures, vehicles and vegetation. Low pressure moving across Europe According to the DWD, the stormy weather is due to the low-pressure system "Lambert," which has moved from Spain to France and now to Germany. That system is carrying "very humid and hot air" from the Mediterranean area, dumping higher amounts of rain than usual at weather fronts as it plows across the continent. "We have to expect heavy rain in scattered areas that will cause small rivers and streams to overflow and flood underpasses," DWD meteorologist Sebastian Schappert told DPA. "Particularly over the center of Germany, isolated and locally narrowly limited tornadoes cannot be completely ruled out." Heavy rain led to disastrous flooding in Germany's Ahr Valley region in 2021 when at least 134 people were killed as flash flooding wrecked whole towns. Such extreme weather events are said to be made more likely due to fluctuations in temperature and humidity as a result of climate change.

A severe weather system has battered southern Brazil leaving at least 11 people dead while searches are being taking place for 20 others who are missing. A cyclone has left at least eleven people dead in Brazil's southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, authorities said on Saturday. "According to the state branch of Protection and Civil Defense, 11 people died from the effects of the cyclone," the government of Rio Grande do Sul state said in a statement. Governor Eduardo Leite said that a 4-month-old baby was among those killed. Helicopter searches are being conducted for 20 people who have been reported missing amid torrential rain caused by the storm. Deaths were reported in seven cities, the governor said. "This first moment, since Thursday night until now, is especially to protect human lives, support and rescue people," Leite told the media at a briefing on Saturday with other authorities. Thousands evacuated The town of Caraa, which is home to more than 8,000 people, was among the worst hit with heavy flooding being reported. "The situation in Caraa deeply worries us. It is essential that we can, in an organized way, quickly map the main affected areas and identify the people who need support," Leite said. Nearly 3,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in a total of 40 municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul, according to the Civil Defense, LUSA news agency reported. Several roads in the state continue to be blocked and flights to Rio Grande do Sul's main cities were canceled all through Friday.  Power outages were reported across the state. Meanwhile, Maquine, a municipality on the eastern coast, had received around a foot of rain. Many residents from the affected areas have taken refuge in outdoor sports facilities in their towns. Authorities have also issued landslide warnings in several areas.

According to the Meteorological Department, intense heat wave is flowing over Faridpur, Manikganj, Rajshahi, Pabna, Bagerhat, Jessore, Chuadanga and Kushtia. At the same time, a mild to moderate heat wave is flowing over the rest of Dhaka, Rajshahi and Khulna divisions along with Mymensingh and Moulvibazar districts and Barisal and Chattogram divisions and it has been reported that it may continue. The weather forecast for the next 24 hours from 9 am today has said that the day and night temperatures may rise slightly across the country and the weather will remain dry with temporary partly cloudy skies across the country. The Meteorological Department forecasts that the weather conditions may change slightly in the next 72 hours. The relative humidity of the air in Dhaka at 6 am today was 64%. Today sunset in Dhaka is at 6:20 PM, tomorrow's sunrise at 5:38 AM. Yesterday, the highest temperature in the country was 41 degree Celsius in Chuadanga. And today's minimum temperature was recorded at 20.3 degrees Celsius at Tentulia.

A district of Pakistan's Balochistan province has been witnessing the law and order situation for the last several months, raising a question mark about the administration. Pakistani newspaper dawn reported that a member of the provincial assembly from the Chagai constituency Mir Mohammad Arif Mohammad Hasni made this statement while speaking to journalists after visiting a man who allegedly received bullet injuries during a robbery attempt near the Pak-Iran border area. Quoting Hasni, the publication said that people were complaining about robberies on a daily basis and the local administration's incapability of arresting the robbers. "I have informed the Balochistan Chief Minister and chief secretary about the prevailing law and order situation in Chagai and urged them to take necessary measures to protect the lives and property of the masses," he said. The law and order of the country has been deteriorating day by day, especially in the country's financial hub Karachi. Reports have also surfaced that multinational companies in Pakistan are worried about the deteriorating law and order situation. A recent survey conducted by The Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) in the country suggested that 70 per cent of the CEOs polled reported security among the top three concerns for them versus 60 per cent a year ago, the Dawn reported. Ground-level feedback from various channels points towards a visible setback to industrial activities due to security challenges cropping up across Pakistan. The widespread militancy and lawlessness across the country has worsened the internal security situation. There is a rise in criminal gangs at the local level. All of this has further jeopardised the development and peaceful existence of Pakistani society. The chamber urged law enforcement agencies and other government authorities responsible for promoting investment and business activities to strengthen the overall security environment while especially focusing on foreigners' security and street crimes in the industrial cities of Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad. Source: ANI

In Pakistan, Climate change has emerged as a key concern with the outburst of the Shishper Glacier and the flood in Hunza in Gilgit-Baltistan raising concerns in the country. The impact of the change in Pakistan is getting dangerous and the country needs to make necessary arrangements and preparedness to deal with any natural calamity with measures to have proper disaster control and reduce the intensity of damage with the help of advanced technologies. The record-high April temperatures in Pakistan melted glaciers faster than normal, triggering a flash flood last Saturday in a village in the northern region of the country that wiped out part of a key bridge and damaged homes and buildings. According to reports, several weather stations set record highs for April. Jacobabad hit its warmest daytime temperature at 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 Celsius) on April 30; the Karachi airport reached its warmest nighttime temperature at 84.9 degrees Fahrenheit (29.4 Celsius), also on April 30, The Washington Post reported. Footage making rounds on social media showed the large wave of water sweeping away a chunk of the bridge as onlookers ran for safety. Regarding the collapse of a bridge on the Karakoram Highway, Pakistan Prime Minister asked the officials to prepare an alternative route, according to Dawn. The glacier flood not only caused harm to the bridge but also submerged houses, hundreds of canals of agricultural land, trees, water supply channels, and two hydropower projects, reported Dawn. Pakistan has been gripped by extreme heat episodes over the past two months. Dawn newspaper reported that, in the 2020 report of the Global Climate Risk Index, Pakistan is the fifth most highly vulnerable to global warming and climate change country. Many studies suggested that temperature increase would shift Pakistan’s cropping season and could “potentially permanently eliminate” the viability of growing some crops. They also indicated that extreme weather events would have serious short and long term adverse effects as they contributed to poverty and malnutrition, food insecurity, stress on water resources, lower nutritional quality of major cereals and livestock productivity, forced migration and boost viral outbreaks in both human and animal population. Source: The Print

The Cyclonic Storm "ASANI" over Southeast Bay and adjoining area moved northwestwards, intensified into a Severe Cyclonic Storm over West central Bay and adjoining areas and now lies over West Central Bay and adjoining area, said a Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) bulletin valid for 24 hours commencing 9am today.    "It is likely to move in a northwesterly direction. One of its associated troughs extends upto North Bay. Maritime ports of Bangladesh have been advised to keep hoisted Distant Warning Signal No. Two," said the bulletin.    The name ASANI given by Sri Lanka means wrath.   "Rain or thunder showers with intense lightning flashes and temporary gusty or squally wind is likely to occur at most places over Barishal and Chattogram divisions; at a few places over Dhaka, Khulna, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions and at one or two places over Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions with moderately heavy to very heavy rainfall at places over Khulna, Barishal and Chattogram divisions," it added.    The bulletin also said that, "Mild heat wave is sweeping over Sylhet division and the districts of Madaripur, Rangamati, Cumilla, Noakhali, Feni, Khulna and Jashore and it may abate."    However, the day temperature may fall by (2-3)oC and night temperature may fall slightly over the country.    Country's maximum temperature on Sunday was recorded 36.8 degrees Celsius at Jashore and minimum temperature today was 22.9 degrees Celsius at Tetulia.    The highest rainfall in the last 24 hours till 6am today was recorded 48 mm in Sitakunda.    The sun sets at 6.31 pm today and rises at 5.19 am tomorrow in the capital. Source: BSS AH