Kerala burning in summer heat; temperature rising to highest in India

Summer heat in Kerala has become almost a regular occurrence. This time, the state has started witnessing extreme heat with almost ten days left for the start of summer. Summer temperatures average around 36 degrees Celsius in March. However, it has already crossed 27 degrees in Kannur in February this year. The temperature in Kozhikode may reach 38 degrees in the coming days. Some other districts including Thiruvananthapuram are also likely to get very hot. The hilly regions of Kerala experience relatively less humidity than the coastal regions. Therefore, the heat here should be less than the coastal areas. However, as warm air rises due to the onset of summer, moist air from the coastal regions will reach the hilly regions. This will cause the entire Kerala to heat up simultaneously.

Climate experts indicate that if the temperature continues to rise like this, it will increase the possibility of heatstroke and heat waves. Agriculture and other livelihoods have already been disrupted in many places. Poultry rearing, goat rearing, etc. will also be adversely affected by extreme summer. There is a possibility of sunstroke in many districts in case there is no summer rain. The Meteorological Department also estimates that there is a possibility of a temperature increase of up to four degrees in the current situation. This increase in heat can lead to a heat wave condition which can cause far more damage than sunstrokes. In short, this year's summer is going to burn people's lives in every sense.

It is a shocking fact that Kannur has recorded the highest temperature in the country for the last nine consecutive days. 37.9 degree Celsius was recorded here. This can lead to many types of diseases. The most dangerous of these is dehydration where the body loses water. This can even lead to loss of life if not taken care of. The easiest way to avoid this is to drink plenty of water. Along with this, there should be a decision at the government level to exempt physical labour in the afternoon.

There should be action on the part of the food department to provide different types of thirst quenchers. Local bodies and other organizations are obliged to provide free places to provide water and liquid nourishment. Both the people and the government should work together to fight this summer disaster. Hospitals also need to be equipped to provide adequate treatment for summer diseases. It is also the period when accidents like fire occur the most. Awareness should be created at the government level to prevent this as much as possible.