YANGON – The scorching temperatures gripping many parts of Myanmar have significantly impacted people’s daily lives, particularly affecting the livelihoods of taxi drivers.

Reports released by Myanmar’s Department of Meteorology and Hydrology showed that many areas in the South-east Asian country have experienced temperatures surpassing 40 deg C in recent days.

As the mercury soars across Myanmar, the Ministry of Health has issued advisories, urging citizens to take necessary precautions for their well-being.

The ministry also provided guidelines for staying safe during the extreme heat and minimising exposure to harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Yangon taxi driver U Maung Maung, 65, talked about his plight on May 3.

“My income has dropped by about one-third because fewer passengers go out during the hot weather,” he said.

Those who need to go out will usually do so in the evening, he added.

“I have five family members. Some expenses have gone up because of the heat. I have to drink more water and electrolyte drinks.”

The driver of eight years said 2024 seems hotter than 2023.

On the same day, another taxi driver in Yangon, Mr Soe Naing, 53, said: “It’s 3.30pm now. I’ve been taking a break since 1.15pm, trying to avoid the heat.

“After a rest in the shade, I find it hard to go out again.”

The breadwinner in a family of four added that he has to take extra care of his health amid the heat.

“I don’t drink cold water and have to drink electrolyte drinks,” he said, adding that the heat in 2024 has been the worst in his opinion.

“My income has decreased. If I turn on the air-conditioner sometimes, I even lose money.”

Mr Ko Myo, a 45-year-old taxi driver in Yangon, had the same sentiments as the other two taxi drivers.

“I can’t do much in the afternoons. It’s been over two weeks. My income has dropped by about one-third,” he said.

“I have to buy more bottles of drinking water...

“In the afternoons, I sometimes feel dizzy because I can’t sleep well at night,” he added.

“I can’t sleep because of the hot temperature and frequent power outages.”

Most taxi drivers in Yangon cannot work late at night because there are hardly any passengers after 8pm due to curfew restrictions.

In Yangon, the city’s temperature has risen above 40 deg C in recent days, according to the country’s weather agency.

Over in Mandalay, cycle taxi driver U Thein Tan said his income has been halved due to the hot weather.

Mandalay, the second-largest city in Myanmar, has a higher number of cycle drivers compared with car drivers.

On April 28, Mandalay had its hottest April day in 77 years, with the temperature reaching 44.8 deg C.

More than 50 people died of heatstroke in Mandalay in April, reported the local media.

April and May are typically the hottest months of the year in Myanmar as the temperature spikes before the monsoon season begins. XINHUA