News Report

 Climate change, especially warming and pouring is effecting the residents of Gomtu

By Manita Majhi

Student of GHSS

The people living in Gomtu, Phuntshopelri gewog under Samtse dzongkhag are experiencing hottest and wettest summers.

The month of May has been surprisingly hot compared to past few years and the days just seem to be getting hotter and hotter. The highest recorded temperature till July 9, 2022 is about 32 degree celcius. The weather is unfavorable and so unpredictable. Some days the sun shines the brightest and the temperature reaches its peak whereas some days it pours like anything for several days. Some days the sky is clear in the morning but by the end of the day it rains so heavily. One must carry their umbrellas all the time since the weather is so unpredictable. The rainfall pattern has also fluctuated adversely. All these are the effects of climate change.

 People are facing a lot of difficulties due to unpredictable weather especially the students of Gomtu HSS as a huge number of students come from faraway places like Pugli, Quarry, Tata and Dholay. They have to cross the Pugli River which swells up due to heavy rainfall. In the month of June, the students coming from these areas have not been able to attend classes and have missed quite a number of classes as the buses were not able to cross the river. “I am so sad because I have missed some of my important classes as we have not been able to come to school”, says one of the students of Gomtu HSS.

 Figure1.1 School buses stuck due to heavy rainfall

The warming of temperature has made even a simple task difficult. Walking a few minutes in the sun during day time or doing a simple task or working a little or just staying within the closed door causes so much sweating. The air is so warm and one cannot stay a minute without turning on the fans.

“Our work demands us working in the sun and the rise in temperature has made our work so much difficult”, says one of the workers of PCAL.

Figure 1.2: PCAL employees working under the sun

The effects of climate change includes heavy rainfall, floods, landslides and rise of temperature. The only thing one can do at the moment is to be mentally and physically prepared to face the consequences of climate change.