Heatwaves put millions of children in Asia at risk, says UN

A file picture of a man carrying a plastic bucket across the cracked bed of a parched dried-up pond in Vietnam's southern Ben Tre province on March 19, 2024 - Photo: AFP

BANGKOK (AFP): Massive heatwaves across East Asia and the Pacific could place millions of children at risk, the UN warned Thursday (April 11), calling for action to protect vulnerable people from the soaring temperatures.

Global monitors have warned that 2024 is shaping up to be the hottest year on record, marked by climate extremes and rising greenhouse gas emissions.