This is the hottest city in the world: “Birds fall from the sky”

One of the biggest problems the international community has to face in the coming period is the impact of the climate crisis. In some areas, there are severe rainfall, while other areas are tested by high intensity heats and droughts. A typical example of extreme weather events is what is considered to be the hottest in the world. On July 21, 2016, mercury touched 54 degrees Celsius, according to Mitribah weather station in northern Kuwait. This was considered the third highest indicator in the world. Then, three years ago, high temperatures exceeded 50 degrees Celsius for 19 consecutive days, a record likely to be broken this year. In addition, mercury exceeded 10 degrees Celsius (up to 60!) up to the heat wave “Cerber” that hit southern Europe. Experts sound the alarm of the country’s intolerable conditions, since Kuwait overheats faster than the rest of the world. Temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius are considered to be extremely dangerous for the lives of citizens. And that’s because it’s 13 degrees Celsius above body temperature. Apart from heat shock and heart problems, rising temperature can even cause death to those exposed to the sun for a long time. It is not accidental, of course, that there have been several reports of birds falling dead from the sky, but also of certain species of fish, such as the hippocampus that boiled into the sea. Forecasts are ominous and say extreme temperatures are to increase by 5.5 degrees Celsius by the end of this century. Since rains are also scarce, the country faces intense “storms” of dust that combined with heat create an explosive cocktail for residents who find it difficult to walk the sidewalks during the summer months. Those who, of course, are financially well-off, rarely walk the streets, choosing to stay in their homes, offices and shopping centers and enjoy the coolness of air conditioning. For the first time this year, in fact, the Kuwaiti government has allowed funerals to take place during the evening, instead of the day, so that citizens are not exposed to excessive heat. Despite the extreme heat, however, the streets are not empty at all. Over 70% of the country’s population consists mainly of migrant workers, who come from Arab nations, and move to Kuwait to work in the manufacturing industry. The result, of course, is to create crowded buses in the city. Finally, in a recent study by the City Institute of Physics it is noted that climate change can cause an increase in the deaths of these workers, due to their exposure to high temperatures, while environmentalists warn of drought phenomena, multiple sandstorms and disease outbreak.