Turkana on alert over possible heatwave

Residents of Northern Kenya region, in particular Turkana County, have been advised to take proactive measures to shade themselves from extreme hot temperatures.

According to a circular from the Kenya Meteorological Department sent to newsrooms, Northern Kenya regions are expected to experience heatwaves this month of January.

The weatherman explains a heatwave as “a period of abnormally and uncomfortably hot and humid weather conditions. The elevated heat can kill when the body is unable to cool itself effectively.”

Areas expected to be affected most include Lodwar (Turkana Central Sub-county), Lokichoggio (Turkana West Sub-county) and Lokitaung (Turkana North Sub-county), with high daytime temperatures of 30C to 40C likely to give rise to heatwaves.

Some of the health problems caused by heat waves include but not limited to cramps, swelling, fainting and deaths. In 1995, over 700 people died in USA when heat waves affected Chicago and Illinois states.

Already parts of Sydney, Australia grabbed the headlines on Sunday when they recorded temperatures of 47C. On Tuesday Al Jazeera reported hundreds of bats to have succumbed to heat stroke in Sydney, with Sky News saying that the Australian heatwave “fries their brains.”