Residents stay indoors as intense heatwave grips Erode, Salem and Namakkal districts

Heatwave hits Erode, Salem, and Namakkal districts, prompting warnings from IMD and officials urging residents to stay indoors.

The intense heatwave across Erode, Salem and Namakkal districts, has forced most residents to stay indoors during the day.

With Erode recording maximum temperatures of 43 degrees Celsius, which is 5.5 degrees Celsius above normal, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings of heatwave conditions. Meanwhile, Salem and Namakkal districts recorded temperatures of 41.6 and 40 degrees Celsius respectively, which is above normal by 3.7 and 1.6 degree Celsius respectively. The humidity stood at 69%.

With the exception of college buses, a few private vehicles and vehicles transporting goods, very few motorists were seen on the city roads during the peak hours from 11.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Even TNSTC and private buses saw very little patronage, with people preferring to stay away from the blazing sun. “The heatwaves are affecting the livelihood of workers as well, since it has become challenging to work under the scorching sun,” said a construction worker at Solar.

On the other hand, roadside shops selling sugarcane juice, watermelons, muskmelon, kambam koozh (pearl millet porridge), buttermilk, mosambi and tender coconut saw brisk business right from daybreak from people seeking respite from the soaring heat. “We haven’t seen such harsh temperatures in the past years, not even during Kathiri Veyil,” said M. Boopalan (70), of Kollampalayam.

While Erode Collector Raja Gopal Sunkara advised people not to venture out of their homes from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Salem Collector R. Brindha Devi and Namakkal Collector S. Uma in separate press releases have asked people not to venture out of their houses from noon to 3 p.m. They have asked people to consume adequate water, Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), buttermilk, lassi and lemon juice at home to stay hydrated. “If they experience tiredness or unwell due to heat, they should immediately visit the nearest government hospital,” the release said.

With temperatures likely to rise further and extreme weather conditions to prevail, people have been asked to protect themselves from the scorching sun and waves.