"Workers struggle to cope as Myanmar swelters under rising temperatures", 25 April 2026

…, when the sun hung heavy over Yangon and the heat pushed most people indoors, U Soe Nyunt sat on his trishaw counting a day's earnings that no longer added up…

Despite fewer passengers in the punishing sun, he said he had no choice but to keep working year-round to make ends meet.

When the heat became unbearable, he sought refuge under trees. "For the poor like us, the shade of trees is the best during the hottest time," he said…

…, temperatures climbed above 38 degrees Celsius in Yangon and exceeded 44 degrees in central regions…

In downtown Yangon, 70-year-old U Than Nyunt sat under a tree, wearing a hat and holding an umbrella. He said he was resting in the shade because of the heat.

"At home, the rooms that do not have air conditioners are very hot. I have to stay on the veranda using hand fans when it is very hot, and there is no electricity," he said.

For 60-year-old street vendor Daw Nyunt Myaing, the heat had also taken a toll on her livelihood as sales were low during extremely hot weather. She added that she had to drink plenty of water and apply Thanakha (a traditional yellowish-white paste made from ground bark) to cope.

Younger workers were not spared. Aung Wai Phyo, a 23-year-old deliveryman in Yangon, said he had to take care of his health by staying hydrated and getting enough sleep.

… According to meteorological reports, many regions across the country have experienced high temperatures, surpassing 40 degrees Celsius in recent days, with conditions expected to persist over the next 10 days…

U Hla Tun, a director from Myanmar's Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, told Xinhua on Tuesday that rising temperatures were increasingly linked to climate change…