New Delhi, June 23 -- Asia is currently warming at nearly twice the global average, driving extreme weather events and inflicting serious impacts on the region's economies, ecosystems, and societies, according to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

In its "State of the Climate in Asia 2024" report released on Monday, the WMO said that the year 2024 was either the warmest or second warmest year on record--depending on the dataset used--with widespread and prolonged heatwaves affecting the region.

The warming trend between 1991 and 2024 was almost double that observed during the 1961-1990 period.

The report highlights that in 2024, heatwaves gripped a record area of the ocean, with sea surface temperatures hitting all-time highs...