THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KOCHI: The punishing heat, which is keeping Kerala on its toes, is likely to continue for the rest of the week. Two persons died of sunstroke in Palakkad and Kannur over the past two days.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued heatwave alert in Palakkad, Thrissur and Kollam on Monday based on the persistent high temperature in these districts.
While Palakkad — where heatwave conditions prevail — remained the hottest place in the state with the maximum temperature hovering above 41°Celsius, mercury levels are expected to cross 40°Celsius in Thrissur and Kollam.
According to the forecast, the maximum temperature in Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Kozhikode and Kannur will be 38°Celsius, and 37°Celsius in Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Malappuram and Kasaragod districts till May 2. In Thiruvananthapuram district, the temperature can reach up to 36°Celsius. According to the IMD, the maximum temperature in these districts are 3-5°Celsius higher than normal.
Meanwhile, the sweltering heat is taking a toll on people as a 90-year-old woman died due to heatstroke in Palakkad on Saturday. Paramedu Nallambarikkal Lakshmi, a resident of Elappully, was found lying unconscious in the Aliyar canal on Saturday evening with sunburn marks on her body. The postmortem examination on Sunday confirmed heatstroke as the cause of death.
In another incident, U M Vishwanathan, a 53-year-old resident of Pandakkal in Mahe, who was under treatment at a private hospital in Kannur after suffering sunstroke, died on Sunday morning. Vishwanathan reportedly suffered sunstroke while digging a well in a field at Nedubram.
On Sunday, Kottayam reported a record-breaking maximum temperature of 38.5°Celsius, the highest ever in April for the district. Similarly, Alappuzha matched its highest maximum temperature for April since 1987, hitting 38°Celsius, the Met department said.
“The exacerbation of heatwave and heatstroke conditions can be attributed to the combined effects of anthropogenic global warming and heightened urbanisation,” said Dr S Abhilash, director, the Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research, Cusat.
Pre-school activities in anganwadis suspended
Express News Service @Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi
“Kerala is currently experiencing rapid and extensive urbanisation, which may significantly contribute to the exacerbation of the severe and unusual heat conditions in the region,” Abhilash said.
The maximum temperature in Palakkad has risen over 5°Celsius above the normal temperature, in the past three days. “Hot and uncomfortable weather is very likely over Kerala, excluding hilly areas, with the maximum temperature likely to surpass the 95th percentile of climatological values in certain locations during the next 24 hours. Relative humidity in the range 55-65%, particularly in coastal and interior areas, further contributes to the discomfort caused by high temperatures and humidity,” said the IMD.
As per weather experts, the hot and dry condition is likely to continue for a week in northern Kerala, while the southern districts may receive isolated rain. It was on Friday that the MET department confirmed the heatwave condition in Palakkad district, though there were alerts earlier. Districts such as Kozhikode, Malappuram, Thrissur, Kollam and Kasaragod are also expected to experience a temperature 2-5.5°Celsius above the normal. The IMD recorded 41.8°Celsius — which was just 0.1°Celsius less than the all-time high of 41.9°Celsius recorded in 2016 — in Palakkad on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the women and child development department has decided to suspend pre-school activities in anganwadis in the state for a week due to high temperature. Other functions of the anganwadis will continue as usual and children will be delivered supplementary nutrition at home during the period, said the statement.
(With bureau inputs)