21 Jul Heatwaves continue to affect Africa

Monday, July 3rd was the hottest day ever recorded globally, largely as a result of heatwaves originating in the Southern Hemisphere, in countries such as Africa.

The pre-conception that Africa is a hot continent, and therefore immune to heatwaves, is a misguided one. As many of our Africa-based readers can attest to.

Individuals in Africa are struggling against the same heatwaves as the rest of the world, however without the same level of infrastructure to keep citizens cool, technology operating and those at-risk safe.

“Temperatures in North America, Asia, and across North Africa and the Mediterranean will be above 40°C for a prolonged number of days this week as the heatwave intensifies,” said a spokesperson from the World Meteorological Organization.

Now, Shade has become a lifesaver for individuals in the African continent, making the different between a cool spot and a furnace.

Overnight minimum temperatures were also expected to reach new highs, the spokesperson continued, creating the risk of increased cases of heart attacks and deaths.

“Whilst most of the attention focuses on daytime maximum temperatures, it is the overnight temperatures which have the biggest health risks, especially for vulnerable populations,” continued the WMO spokesperson.

With summers continually getting hotter, there is a demand and requirement for individuals in Africa to be prepared for these heatwaves both in regard to their use of infrastructure as well as with the development of cooling technologies.