Record heat in the Philippines in April has forced schools to send children home for online classes. Children at 7,000 public schools in the country were sent home last week due to unusual hot weather in many areas that forecasters have linked to the effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon.

Extreme heat scorched the Philippines on Wednesday, forcing thousands of schools to suspend in-person classes and prompting warnings for people to limit the amount of time spent outdoors.

Record heat in the Philippines this month has forced schools to send children home for online classes, reviving memories of COVID lockdowns and raising fears that more extreme weather in the years to come could deepen educational inequalities.