'Hotter and hotter': Swathes of Asia sweat in heatwave

Under the hot sun, people across South and Southeast Asia have been taking cover beneath any shelter they can find as they pray for cooling rains with record temperatures hitting the region.

Bangladesh saw its highest temperature for almost 60 years in the past week, while in India at least 13 people died from heatstroke along with two in Thailand. A recent report from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warning that "every increment of global warming will intensify multiple and concurrent hazards".

Thailand's Meteorological Department said that temperatures hit a record-equalling 44.6 degrees Celsius in the western province of Tak on April 15, warning that the baking weather would continue into next week.  The Department also warns the capital and the southern tourist island of Phuket could see temperatures rising as high as 54 degrees Celsius on April 21.