Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) on Tuesday announced the launch of a heatwave service that can help Australians better prepare and lessen the impacts of heatwave events.

The service, provided by the BOM and partner health and emergency service agencies across Australia, can issue an alert through the BOM’s weather app and website that a heat hazard is forecast within the coming four days.

It will also come with action statements aligned to the heatwave severity, agreed with partner agencies.

The BOM said the release followed a successful trial which showed that the new warning service had provided timely information about the health risks of the extreme heat.

It also helped to ensure health departments were better equipped to assist those vulnerable to heatstroke, BOM added.

A heatwave occurs when the maximum and the minimum temperatures are unusually hot over three days at a location.

According to the BOM, it has been Australia’s most dangerous environmental hazard, resulting in more community deaths than bushfires, floods, cyclones, and severe storms combined. 

(Xinhua/NAN)