Just a few people are going out during the day as the temperature has elevated, resulting in a decline in the income of taxi drivers.
People don’t go outside if it is unnecessary. Therefore, they have few passengers in the daytime, said taxi drivers.
“It is too hot during the day, so people don’t go outside if it isn’t necessary. And if they can’t avoid going out, they want to take air-conditioned only. They take air-conditioned YBS buses. We have passengers just in the morning and evening, and they are regular customers,” said a taxi driver from Thakayta township.
He earns barely a few tens of thousands of kyats on some days, so it is uneconomical after fuel costs, he said.
“Two days ago, I received just around K20,000 for the whole day. We don’t have many passengers at noon. There is not much left after fuel cost is deducted. Fortunately, I don’t need to pay the owner on the days when I don’t have passengers because my sister owns my taxi,” said another taxi driver.
Due to high temperatures, drivers have to be aware of their health as well as be alert of fire hazards from overheated car engines, he said.
The sweltering weather may cause dehydration, heat rash, fatigue, dizziness, headache, cramps, lack of sweat, high body temperature, unconsciousness and even life-threatening if it becomes severe, the Ministry of Health warned.
In Yangon Region and other regions and states, some people have fainted and even faced sudden death from haemorrhagic strokes due to extreme heat. — MT/ZS/ED
