Tamil Nadu continued to reel under intense heatwave conditions, with temperatures crossing 39°C in more than 15 districts, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Chennai registered a scorching 42°C on Wednesday, the highest temperature recorded in the city so far this summer.
The weather department has cautioned that the hot spell is likely to continue.
In a bulletin issued on Friday, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) said heatwave conditions are expected to persist over coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry through Saturday.
High daytime temperatures coupled with elevated humidity levels are likely to trigger widespread discomfort across these regions, the bulletin noted.
Even as the heat persists, the RMC has forecast isolated heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 40–50 kmph in parts of the state from May 23. Districts likely to be affected include Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchirappalli, Salem, Namakkal, Vellore, Tirupattur and Dharmapuri.
Meanwhile, parts of Tamil Nadu witnessed moderate rainfall over the past 24 hours. Aranthangi in Pudukkottai district recorded the highest rainfall at 5 cm, followed by Karaikudi in Sivagangai district, Nagudi in Pudukkottai district, and Neyyoor in Kanyakumari district, each receiving 3 cm.
(With inputs from PTI)