Kerala shuts educational institutions till Monday amid heatwave
What's the story
The government of Kerala has ordered all educational institutions to remain closed until Monday in light of the severe heatwave. This comes after the India Meteorological Department predicted an exceptionally high number of heatwave days in the April to June timeframe while the country holds the general election. The IMD has already recorded five such days in Kerala during April.
Election heat
2 people died in Kerala this week
According to local media, at least two individuals died in Kerala this week, but authorities have yet to determine whether the deaths were caused by extreme heat. On Thursday, the temperature in Thiruvananthapuram reached 35 degrees Celsius, but the IMD reported that it felt like 46 degrees Celsius due to high humidity. The IMD also issued fellow alert in Alappuzha, Palakkad, Kozhikode, and Thissur.
CM Vijayan
CM held meeting to assess the possibilities of heat waves
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan issued directives for the monsoon season during an online meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority, according to an official release. He instructed individuals working between 11:00am and 3:00pm on Thursdays and Fridays, such as construction workers, farmers, and hawkers, to adjust their work schedules accordingly. Furthermore, holiday lessons should be avoided, and daytime parades and drills should not be held at police, fire, or other force training facilities.
Weather analysis
IMD attributes heatwaves to decreased thunderstorms
The IMD attributes these heatwaves to a decrease in thunderstorms and an anti-cyclonic circulation near India's southeastern coast. It also highlighted that El Nino years typically bring about increased heating, resulting in hot and dry weather across Asia and heavier rainfall in parts of the Americas. In other parts of India, high temperatures and dry spells have caused frequent forest fires, which have been exacerbated by individuals burning the forest to collect a flower used to brew alcohol in Odisha.