WINDHOEK, Oct. 21– The Namibia Meteorological Service on Wednesday issued a public weather advisory, warning that intense heatwave conditions will persist across the country through the weekend, with temperatures forecast to range from 36 to 42 degrees Celsius.
The service said a strong high-pressure system over northern Namibia, slowly moving toward the central parts of the country, is causing air to sink and warm rapidly, pushing surface temperatures to extreme levels.
The northern and central areas, including the Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Oshana, Omusati, Kunene and Otjozondjupa regions, remain the hardest hit, according to the service.
Forecasters expect the hot conditions to reach the Khomas Region, home to the capital Windhoek, by Friday, before spreading to southern Namibia over the weekend.
The service warned that the prolonged spell of hot to extremely hot weather could pose health risks such as dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
It advised the public to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activities and avoid strenuous physical exertion during the hottest hours between noon and 3:00 p.m.
Namibia is one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa, with about 92 percent of its land classified as hyper-arid, arid or semi-arid.(Namibia Daily News /Xinhua)
