Editorial photo #13752596 Human Interest

Increasing Heatwave Hits Monkeys Of Nepal

Monkeys dive into a pool created for them at Swayambhunath Stupa in Nepal on May 26, 2026, as temperatures rise across the country. The western Tarai region, including Nepalgunj, Dhangadhi, and Dipayal, experiences intense heat with daytime temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. Nepal's Meteorological Forecasting Division has issued a heat wave warning for Tarai districts and hot-day conditions in the hilly areas of two provinces. This is the third heat wave bulletin issued this year, following two previous bulletins about a month ago. Pre-monsoon rainfall had temporarily reduced temperatures nationwide. In contrast, eastern Tarai has not yet experienced heatwave conditions this year, with temperatures around 30-31 degrees Celsius. A heatwave is defined by unusually high maximum and minimum temperatures for at least three consecutive days. Nepal, vulnerable to climate change, has faced frequent extreme weather events, including unusual rainfall patterns leading to landslides and floods. A 2017 study by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology reported a rise in Nepal's average annual maximum temperature by 0.056 degrees Celsius from 1971 to 2014. Globally, extreme temperature events are increasing, attributed to climate change. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto)