Sylhet has experienced the hottest day in the month of July in 66 years, according to Met Office data.
The division recorded a temperature of 38.9°C on Thursday, Saeed Ahmad Chowdhury, senior meteorologist at Sylhet Meteorological Office told Dhaka Tribune.
“Thursday's temperature was the highest since July 1956,” he added.
He mentioned that the general temperature during the rainy or monsoon season is 30.9°C, but the average temperature this year was recorded higher than 34°C, which is unusual.
The division has been suffering in extreme heat for the last six days.
According to the Met Office, a heat wave has been sweeping over Sylhet division for the past few days as the low pressure over the Bay of Bengal has been moving towards Odisha through West Bengal.
The last few days have been extremely hot and the rainfall in Sylhet has been less. However, Saeed Chowdhury said it may rain on Saturday and Sunday.
According to the Met Office, the highest temperature recorded in the division was recorded at 39.2°C on April 24, 2014, while 36.8°C was recorded in July last year.
The Sylhet Meteorological Office recorded the highest rainfall of 1456 mm in 62 years in Sylhet last June. A new record was set in July in terms of temperature after the rains.
Meanwhile, residents in Sylhet have been living in misery for the last few days due to the scorching heat. The intensity of the weather has rendered everyone, young or old, out of breath.
On top of that, frequent power cuts have also taken a toll on the public.
Fever, cold, cough and shortness of breath and other illnesses are increasing due to temperature, and most hospitals are overcrowded.
This week’s highest temperature in Sylhet was recorded at 35.3°C on July 10.
The temperature started to rise the next day and was the highest temperature recorded in Sylhet at 35.5°C. On Tuesday, the division’s temperature was recorded at 36.4°C.
On June 15, a terrible flood took place in Sylhet.
According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board, the water of the Kushiyara River in Fenchuganj upazila overflowed 71cm above its danger level at 9am on Friday.
Due to this, some areas of Fenchuganj, South Surma, Balaganj and Beanibazar are still submerged under floodwater.
Sylhet District Administration Executive Magistrate Md Ahsanul Alam said that currently, 12,671 people are staying in 215 flood shelters in Sylhet.
