THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala was left sweating as the maximum temperature in some districts touched the 40 degrees Celsius mark on Thursday, the highest since 2019. Palakkad, with a maximum temperature of 40.1 degrees Celsius, was the hottest, followed by Vellanikkara in Thrissur at 40 degrees Celsius. This is 3.4 degrees Celsius and 4.9 degrees Celsius higher than the respective average temperature in the two districts.
To make matters worse, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a maximum temperature warning for Friday.
It said the maximum temperature will be around 39 degrees Celsius in Thrissur, Palakkad and Kannur (3-4 degrees Celsius above normal) and around 37 degrees Celsius in Kottayam and Kozhikode (2-3 degrees Celsius above normal) on Friday.
The IMD said the maximum temperature was appreciably above normal in Kottayam and Thrissur, above normal in Alappuzha, Kozhikode and Palakkad and normal elsewhere in Kerala.
Rajeevan Erikkulam, a meteorologist with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, said the dry condition is likely to continue for two to three days.
“The prevailing high-pressure formation in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea is contributing to the dry condition. The situation is likely to get better when summer rain get active by next week,” he said. Barring the first week of April, the state has not received summer rain so far this month, which is being attributed to the rise in temperature.
Health advisory issued as mercury soars above 40oc
The health department on Friday issued an advisory with temperature soaring in the state. The department urges people to remain cautious against sunburn and dehydration. Below are the necessary precautions put forward by the health officials to tackle the increasing heat.
Stay away from the sun
It’s boiling in here!