Palakkad scorching in summer: Temperatures soar to 41.8°C, three sunstroke deaths, health concerns rise

PALAKKAD: Palakkad is scorching in the summer heat. The highest temperature of the year was recorded on Saturday at 41.8 degrees Celsius. Apart from a brief respite at 39.5 degrees on the 24th, temperatures have consistently been above 40 degrees every day for the past week. It's become unbearable to go out after 11 am until 5 pm and even the nights feel unusually hot. Experts attribute the intense heat to the high humidity levels in the atmosphere.

Three deaths due to sunstroke have been reported in the district this summer, including that of Lakshmi (90), a native of Elapulli, who passed away recently. The other two fatalities occurred in Attappadi and Kuzhalmantham Kuthanur. On polling day, three people succumbed to dehydration and heat exhaustion.

So far, 240 people have sought treatment for summer-related illnesses in the district. Among them, 40 people were hospitalized with minor burns, while 170 sought treatment for ailments such as chickenpox and heat rash. However, health department officials have reassured the public that there is no need to panic.

There has been a decrease in summer rainfall in Palakkad. The region should have received 98.4 mm of rain since March, but only 16.1 mm has been recorded. If this trend persists, the shortage of drinking water could worsen.