'So hot you can't breathe': Extreme heat hits the Philippines

A vendor uses an electric fan to cool herself while waiting for customers in Marikina, Philippines on April 24, 2024. - AP

MANILA: Extreme heat scorched the Philippines on Wednesday, forcing schools in some areas to suspend in-person classes and prompting warnings for people to limit the amount of time spent outdoors.

The months of March, April and May are typically the hottest and driest in the archipelago nation, but conditions this year have been exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon.