A whirlpool of frigid, dense air known as a polar vortex descended on much of the US on January 6, pummelling parts of the country with a dangerous cold that could break decades-old records with wind chill warnings from Montana to Alabama.
On December 6 last year, a daily record snowfall of 2 mm was set in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, breaking the old record of trace amounts of snow set in 1950.
In an early 2012 European cold wave, at least 590 people died during a cold snap with temperatures falling below −35 degrees Celcius in some regions. Ukraine was the worst hit, with over 100 deaths related to the cold.
Early January of 2009 gave most of Europe, especially the central and southern parts, very cold temperatures. Some countries like Germany, France, Italy, Romania and Spain had one of the record cold temperatures.
Most of the places were covered in snow and ice which caused schools to be closed and flights to be delayed. Large cities like Paris, Madrid, Berlin saw very cold temperatures, and lots of snow and ice in Northern Italy, most of Germany, in northern Portugal at the seaside, and even in sunny Marseille.
Winter cold waves that aren’t considered cold in some areas, but cause temperatures significantly below average for an area, are also destructive. Areas with subtropical climates may recognise unusual cold, perhaps barely freezing, temperatures, as a cold wave. In such places, plant and animal life is less tolerant of such cold as it may appear rarely.
Likewise, unusual cold waves that penetrate into tropical countries in which people do not normally insulate houses or have reliable heating may cause hypothermia.
Occurrences of extreme low temperature in association with incursion of dry cold winds from the north into this subcontinent are known as cold waves. The northern parts of India, especially the hilly regions and the adjoining plains, are influenced by transient disturbances in the mid-latitude westerlies, which often have weak frontal characteristics.
Bangladesh, because of its location, is not a severely cold-prone country. People of Bangladesh are used to facing normal winter seasons when the average temperature remains 13-20 degrees Celcius.
But when the temperature falls down to single digits, the cold wave turns to a disaster like situation. Bangladesh has been experiencing severe cold waves in the last few winters.
Northern and southwestern parts of the country experience a fall in temperature in January and December. Poor people in the northern part of the country are the worst affected.
Biting cold coupled with a dense fog paralyse normal life both in the urban and rural areas of Bangladesh in the winter season (December and January). The cold wave intensifies the suffering of the poor, sometimes claiming lives.
Poor people in the vulnerable regions are the worst sufferers. They lack warm clothes. Many, especially children and the elderly, are affected with various cold-related diseases.
Crops, especially potatoes, wheat, boro seedling, and vegetables, are vulnerable to long lasting cold waves. Farmers and day labourers cannot work in the field due to the cold. Thick fog together with harsh cold disrupts movement of all modes of transportation across the country, causing immense sufferings to passengers.
The cold wave we just experienced took scores of lives. Most of these deaths were of children who suffered from pneumonia, cold diarrhea, cough, fever, asthma and other cold-related diseases. Many distressed people try to fight the cold with the heat by burning straws, leaves, and old rubber tyres.
Livestock in sheds are covered with old sacks. The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, political parties, humanitarian organisations, NGOs, social organisations, banks and well-off individuals distribute warm clothes and blankets among poor people in different parts of the country to reduce their sufferings.
This winter, government and various organisations distributed 731,891 blankets in seven divisions. However, the level of assistance has been inadequate and short-sighted.
Cold waves might come to us again in the future. Blanket distribution among affected people is an immediate remedy, while steps for long-term solutions are not being observed.
It is necessary for the authorities and duty-bearers to undertake long-term plans considering the chronic vulnerability and the suffering of the people, particularly in the most poverty-stricken areas of the country.
Long-term planning is needed to reduce the cold wave vulnerability of the poor through improved livelihoods, higher incomes for making better houses and buying blanket and warm clothes, providing soft loans for buying winter clothes and medicines.
