Telangana summer: Health dept, IMD Hyderabad issue dos and don’ts as heat rises

Multiple districts in Telangana, including Hyderabad, are expected to witness a surge in daytime temperatures with the mercury likely to touch 40 degrees Celsius in the coming days. IMD officials say it is not yet a heatwave, but authorities have issued precautions.

Hyderabad: Multiple districts across Telangana, including Hyderabad and its surrounding districts of Rangareddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri and Sangareddy, are bracing for a significant surge in daytime temperatures.

The Hyderabad unit of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday indicated that maximum temperatures in nearly 25 districts are likely to hover between 36 degrees Celsius and 40 degrees Celsius in the coming days.

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Is it a “Heat Wave”?

While residents of Hyderabad and elsewhere in Telangana are already feeling the sting of the dry heat, Head of the IMD Hyderabad unit, Dr K Nagaratna, clarified that the current conditions do not yet constitute an official heatwave.

“At present, there is no heat wave in Telangana. However, in the coming three to four days, the weather will remain hot in multiple districts. One or two isolated locations in districts will also witness temperatures rising up to 40 degrees Celsius. At such locations, the temperatures will be 1 degree Celsius to 3 degrees Celsius above the normal temperatures. Usually, Telangana witnesses heatwaves in April,” Dr K Nagaratna said.

What is causing the surge in heat?

The current hot weather conditions are expected to make things worse for people in Hyderabad due to the ‘urban heat island’ effect. A dense concentration of pavements and concrete buildings tends to absorb and retain heat, which makes urban areas like Hyderabad significantly warmer than the outskirts and rural areas.

Should I be worried? What should I do now?

The Director of Public Health (DPH), Telangana, Dr B Ravinder Nayak, urged the public to take immediate precautions to avoid thermal stress.

Here are some suggestions:

• Avoid going out when daytime temperatures peak

• Stay hydrated, drink as much water as possible

• Avoid consumption of alcohol, tea and carbonated soft drinks, which cause loss of more body fluids

How to get more information about weather:

Your best sources of information are:

• Listen to radio, watch TV and read the newspaper for local weather news

• Get the latest weather update on the India Meteorological Department (IMD) website at https://mausam.imd.gov.in/

Here are things you should not be doing:

• Avoid going out in the sun between 12 pm and 3 pm

• Avoid strenuous activities in the afternoon

• Avoid cooking during the peak hours

• Avoid high-protein, salty, spicy and oily food

• Do not eat stale food

What are the symptoms of heat stroke due to a heat wave?

• Nausea and vomiting

• Hot, red and dry skin

• Body temperature more than 40 degrees Celsius or 104 F

• Throbbing headache

• Anxiety, dizziness and fainting

• Muscle weakness or cramps

• Rapid heartbeat

• Rapid, shallow breathing

• Altered mental sensorium with disorientation, including confusion, agitation, irritability, ataxia, seizure and coma

Did any heatwave cause deaths?

History of heatwave-related deaths in Telangana:

Telangana:

2020: 98 deaths

2021: 43 deaths

2022: 62 deaths

2023: 85 deaths

Andhra Pradesh:

2020: 50 deaths

2021: 22 deaths

2022: 47 deaths