Researchers say Egypt, with its arid, sun-scorched landscape and its limited sources of water, is one of the countries potentially most at risk of suffering dramatic effects of climate change. At no time of year is climate change more on the minds of Egyptians than summer, when many try to escape temperatures that have historically reached as high as 47 degrees Celsius. Photojournalist Hamada Elrasam shows how Egyptians, are coping.
As Temperatures Rise, Egyptians Cope
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Egypt’s summer temperatures send a sea of people to the seashore at Miami Beach, in the port city of Alexandria.
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A sidewalk vendor in Alexandria peddles aloe vera, a succulent popular for treating sunburn. Proven or not, many Egyptians complain the sun seems to get stronger each year and doctors warn of skin cancer as one of the dangers of overexposure.
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Residents of the fishing community of al Max say sea rising sea levels are weakening the soil and foundations of their homes, forcing some to evacuate to other parts of the city.
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Fishing has long been the mainstay of al Max’s residents. Now, fishermen who have evacuated to firmer ground commute back to the neighborhood daily to work.