Danger warning issued for Bangkok as extreme heat bites

BANGKOK: Thai authorities issued an extreme heat warning for Bangkok on Wednesday (Apr 24), urging people to stay indoors for their safety as temperatures soared.

The mercury was forecast to hit 39 degrees Celsius in the sprawling Thai capital, while the heat index rose above 52 degrees Celsius, classed as “extremely dangerous” by city authorities.

The heat index is a measure of what the temperature feels like, taking humidity, wind speed and other factors into account.

“Warning: the heat index today is ‘extremely dangerous’. Please avoid activities outdoors,” the Bangkok city authority’s environment department wrote in a Facebook post.

“The heat index is classed as extremely dangerous when it goes above 52 degrees Celsius.”