India Reels Under Severe Heatwave; Kerala, Odisha Take Protective Measures

With temperatures soaring to dangerous levels across the country, state governments have begun taking urgent measures to protect citizens from the relentless heat.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday advised the public to avoid stepping out between 11 am and 3 pm amid rising temperatures across the state, while Odisha announced early summer vacations for schools.

Urging extreme caution, the Kerala Chief Minister suggested that people should treat this period as a "self-lockdown," reminiscent of the COVID-19 phase, and refrain from unnecessary travel and outdoor work.

The advisory comes as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) officially issued a heatwave warning for Palakkad, Kollam, and Thrissur districts, with temperatures soaring above 40°C.

Due to high humidity levels, the heat is being felt intensely in other districts as well, prompting the Chief Minister's call for heightened vigilance to ensure public safety.

Did IMD Predict Heatwave Conditions Across Kerala and Southern States?

The IMD had earlier warned of heatwave conditions in isolated pockets of Kerala on April 23 and 24.

Additionally, "hot and humid" weather is very likely to prevail in isolated areas of Tamil Nadu, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Coastal Karnataka through April 27.

In Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday announced early summer vacation in schools across the state due to the prevailing heatwave.

As per the order, all government, government-aided and private schools will remain closed from April 27, while pre-scheduled examinations and official work will continue as planned.

In a post on X, the state's Information and Public Relations Department wrote, "Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi has announced an early summer vacation keeping in view the severe heatwave currently sweeping through the state.”

Has the Heatwave Claimed Lives?

“Keeping the safety of children in mind, the Chief Minister has taken this decision. The Chief Minister has approved the related proposal from the School and Mass Education Department,” the post added.

“According to this decision, all government, government-aided, and private schools in the state will remain closed from April 27. However, previously scheduled examinations, census work, and other office tasks will continue as before,” the post further read.

The heat has already claimed at least one life. A 37-year-old man undergoing treatment for sunstroke died on Thursday, highlighting the severity of conditions on the ground.

The deceased, identified as Sunil Kumar, a native of Pallippoyil in Kannur, collapsed around 11 am on Wednesday while digging a well at his house.

He was rushed to a nearby clinic in Pallippoyil before being shifted to a private hospital.

Where Did IMD Record Peak Heatwave Temperatures of 40°C to 45°C?

Though his condition initially showed signs of improvement, he passed away early in the morning.

According to the IMD, maximum temperatures ranging between 40°C and 45°C were recorded over most parts of Vidarbha, many areas of Marathwada and Madhya Pradesh, and at several places in Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh.

Similar conditions were observed at isolated places over interior Odisha, Rayalaseema, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Gujarat, while temperatures remained in the 36°C to 40°C range over most other parts of the country, except parts of the western Himalayan region and Northeast India, where readings were below 36°C.

The weather agency added that maximum temperatures were markedly above normal in parts of Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh, and appreciably above normal in several parts of Jharkhand, East Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, among others.

Above-normal temperatures were also recorded in parts of Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka, while near-normal conditions prevailed over Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Gujarat, coastal Karnataka and Lakshadweep.

On a relatively brighter note, the IMD has predicted isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds with speeds reaching 30 to 50 kmph, for Kerala, Mahe, and Karnataka from April 23 to 27.

Similar weather is expected in Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam until April 25, while Rayalaseema and Telangana are likely to see these conditions on April 23 and 24.

The IMD has also issued lightning warnings for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal for the first 48 hours of the forecast period.

In the meantime, the IMD advises the public in affected regions to avoid heat exposure, stay hydrated, and use ORS or homemade drinks like lassi and buttermilk to maintain health.

(With inputs from ANI)