The climate threat|The heat wave in Asia

Klimathotet|Värmeböljan i Asien

Smog over the Thai city of Chiang Mai in April. Wichai Taprieu / AP 

"Deadly combo" of heat and exhaust gases in Southeast Asia  

Southeast Asia is now suffering through a heat wave at the same time as several countries in the region are struggling with dangerously high levels of exhaust gases in the air, writes NBC News.  

This weekend, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam broke heat records, and in recent months several large cities in the region have been covered by a thick layer of smog. Experts that the channel has spoken to call this a "deadly combo" that will become increasingly common as climate changes. 

- Heat causes the blood vessels to open up and air pollution can lead to pollution in the lungs. This can increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular diseases, says Rajesh Kumar of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado.  

A woman in Malaysia during the heat wave. Vincent Thian / AP  

"Urgent that the vulnerable get help in the heat wave" 

In extreme heat waves and air pollution, it is the socioeconomically vulnerable who are hit the hardest, says physician and researcher Wynne Armand to NBC News. With large parts of Southeast Asia currently struggling with both a heat wave and dangerously high levels of air pollution at the same time, she fears that the sick, elderly and economically vulnerable will be hit hard.  

She says that it is urgent that these get help. 

- These are people who cannot protect themselves, who do not have air conditioning and who have to work outdoors, she says.