May started swelteringly hot for people in the State with temperatures continuing to hover over the 40 degrees Celsius mark in Palakkad, where high temperatures have not yet dipped below 41 degrees Celsius for the past week.
The weather bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on May 1 warned of heatwave conditions in Palakkad, Thrissur and Kozhikode districts on Wednesday and Thursday.
The IMD has issued an orange alert for Palakkad and a yellow for the remaining districts except Wayanad and Idukki, warning of above-normal temperatures. As per the colour codes of IMD, a yellow alert indicates ‘watch and stay updated’ while an orange alert asks people and authorities to ‘be prepared’.
Maximum temperatures are very likely to be around 40 degrees Celsius in Palakkad district, around 39 degrees Celsius in Thrissur district, around 38 degrees Celsius in Kollam, Kottayam and Kozhikode districts, around 37 degrees Celsius in Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Kannur districts, and around 36 degrees Celsius in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kasaragod and Malappuram districts (3 to 5 degrees Celsius above normal) until May 5. Hot and humid weather is very likely in these districts, except in hilly areas, during this period due to the high temperature and humidity.
All outdoor sports competitions between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. have been suspended in the State due to heatwave conditions. Earlier, the State Government rescheduled the working hours of labourers in the State providing rest for them between 12 noon to 3 p.m.
The educational institutions in Palakkad were closed in the wake of the heatwave in the district. People were also advised to exercise caution during hot days by using umbrellas while going out and drinking plenty of water to prevent dehydration.
