Unusual cold grips Tamil Nadu hill stations
Unusually chilly weather has hit hill stations in Tamil Nadu. The never-seen-before weather has caused concerns for residents, environmentalists, and farmers. Frosty lawns, thick fog, and health issues are some of the problems locals are facing. Experts have pointed to global warming and the El Nino effect as possible causes. V Sivadas of the Nilgiri Environment Social Trust (NEST) asserted that such a climatic change is a big challenge to the Nilgiris.
Why does this story matter?
The temperature in the Sandynalla reservoir area—located in Nilgiris—has dipped to zero degrees Celsius. Popular hill station Ooty recorded a temperature of 2.3 degrees Celsius, resulting in heavy frost. The region has witnessed an acute drop in mercury over the past few days, with stationary vehicles accumulating an inch of snow at some places. Expert Sivadas has, meanwhile, opined that the change is due to global warming and the El Niño effect.
Impact on tea plantation and vegetable farming
This unexpected cold has negatively impacted farming, especially tea plantations and vegetable crops. Local workers shared concerns about how heavy rains in December and the current cold spell could affect tea production in the coming months. Vegetable farmers are also experiencing damage to their crops, particularly cabbages. Meanwhile, local residents have complained of health issues. N Ravichandran, a government employee, noted that even with proper clothing, driving two-wheelers is difficult, leading to health issues like breathing problems, headaches, and fever.
Sandynalla region was frozen in 2022 as well
The minimum temperature had dipped to zero degrees Celsius in the Sandynalla region back in 2022. This was after a gap of 15 years. The Sandynalla Reservoir is a prominent tourist attraction and a popular site for film shootings. The reservoir—also known as the Kamaraj Sagar Dam—is situated in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. The climate of Tamil Nadu, located on India's southern peninsula, is essentially tropical.
Cold wave grips North India
In North and Northeast India, thick fog has blanketed parts of the region for the past two weeks, causing major disruptions to road, rail, and air travel. Visibility has dropped to zero meters in some areas. Dense fog has affected Punjab, Haryana, west Rajasthan, Bihar, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Assam. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) anticipates that these conditions will persist for another five days.
