Air pollution descends upon Laos each year during the dry season when slash and burn agriculture is conducted. (Photo: Laotian Times)Vientiane (VNA) – In the context of severely hot weathertogether with air pollution caused by forest fires as well as theburning of fields by people, the Lao Ministry of Health (MoH) has issued a notice warningresidents about diseases caused by heat and pollution.
The Department of Hygiene and Health under the MoH said thatillnesses that can occur during extreme heat include diarrhea, which can becaused by unsafe food and water, including ice. Therefore, people should eat foodsthat are well-cooked and drink water that has been boiled.
The department also warns the elderly, young children, and peoplewith certain illnesses related to high temperatures such as heatstroke, to becautious.
People should protect themselves by using masks, it said.
Over the past time, the hot weather and the burning of fields bypeople not only caused serious air pollution on a large scale in Laos, but alsoled to a series of forest fires across the country. Lao authorities had tomobilise military and police forces and local residents to help contain the fire.
The Lao Department of Meteorology and Hydrology forecasts that hotweather will continue to ravage the entire country in the coming days.
According to the Department of Forestry under the Ministry ofAgriculture and Forestry of Laos, 323,500 hectares of forest across the country had been severely damaged by fire in the 2014-2022period. Since the beginning of thisyear, forest fires have taken place in many provinces and cities such asOudomxay, Luang Prabang, Luang Namtha, Huaphanh, Xayabuli and Vientiane capital.Currently, the ministry is gathering information on the damage.
Farmers burning scrubland in preparation for crop cultivationwas the main cause of forest fires in Laos./.
