TIRUCHY: Agni Natchatram, or peak summer, is at least a fortnight away. But in an ominous sign of the tough summer ahead, Karur recorded a scorching 42 degree Celsius, the highest across the State, on Wednesday. That is not all. The Indian Meteorology Department (IMD) has cautioned that temperature is expected to increase in the coming days and summer would be hotter this year compared to the corresponding period of previous years.
For the past few days, Karur has been recording temperature in excess of 40 degrees, the district topping the table registering 44 degrees on Wednesday. Normally, such high temperature is recorded only dur ing May. This year summer has peaked early.
S Balachandran, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, Regional Meteorological Center said, “The drastic increase in temperature across several districts is due to the reduced moisture levels. Further, wind flow is less across the central region compared to the coastal districts. In Karur, temperature has increased in the past days due to less moisture and poor air currents, the status may fluctuate in next few days but as per reports available this summer shall be hotter than normal.”
With people facing the risk of getting dehydrated, the district administration has launched free distribution of buttermilk and fresh fruits and has set up stalls across Karur. Transport minister M R Vijayabhasker inaugurated one such booth in the town on on Wednesday.
Apart from beverages, herbal drinks like Nilavembu concoction would also be provided to public at the stalls to make them immune to common sumer related infections. The stalls would be situated at all government offices in urban localities, and panchayat offices in rural parts of the district.