Fake news alert: KSDMA dismisses claims of exploding phones and 55-degree peaks

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While isolated thundershowers offer a glimmer of hope, the intense heatwave across Kerala shows no signs of relenting. Palakkad remains the state's hotspot, recording a staggering 39.2°C today, with forecasts predicting the mercury will touch the 40°C mark over the next 48 hours.

The Central Meteorological Department has issued high-temperature warnings for several other districts:

• 39°C: Kollam
• 37°C: Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasaragod
• 36°C: Thiruvananthapuram and Malappuram

Despite the scorching conditions, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has stepped in to debunk a wave of "heat-panic" misinformation spreading on social media. Viral WhatsApp messages have been claiming that temperatures will skyrocket to 54°C between April 29 and May 12—a claim the KSDMA has officially labelled as fake.

The authorities clarified that these fraudulent messages—which often warn that mobile phones will explode or that car fuel tanks should not be filled to capacity—are being wrongly attributed to a "Civil Defence Department." Officials pointed out that no such independent department exists in Kerala, and the Central Meteorological Department has issued no such extreme forecast.

The public is reminded that spreading false propaganda during a natural heat event is a punishable offence under the Disaster Management Act. While citizens are encouraged to take precautions against the legitimate 36°C–40°C heat, they are urged to rely only on official bulletins and ignore alarmist rumours designed to cause public distress.