Scorching heat waves roasting Vijayawada citizens
People protecting themselves from the searing heat in Vijayawada on MondayPhotos: Ch Venkata Mastan
Vijayawada (NTR district): People are experiencing a sweltering heat with the mercury soaring to 40 degree Celsius and heat waves in Vijayawada on Monday. This is the highest recorded temperature in this summer season so far and the real feel of the blistering summer heat has been another five degrees more than actual recorded temperature.
The sudden spike in temperature is causing panic among students, public, workers and other commoners and feeling suffocation.
In fact, the Indian Meteorological Department and Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) had cautioned the public to be mindful and follow precautions as this year's summer season, starting from March to June, will witness highest temperatures and heat waves.
Temperatures are turning hot from 7 am itself and continuing till 5.30 pm. In fact, this type of condition prevails during the peak time of summer from April third week to June first week. However, on Monday, the mercury started to soar from early morning.
In the wake of increasing temperatures, people are planning to complete their work as early as possible to fend off heat waves. Many people are preferring to confine themselves to the homes to avoid sun exposure after observing the Monday temperature.
K Ramani, a fruits seller at Pushpa hotel, said that she felt sick due to the high temperature.
"Every year we follow precautions so as not to get exposed to the sun during summer. But this year, they didn't take any precautions assuming that summer had not come yet," she said.
A private employee M Murali Krishna stated that he works as a recovery agent and had to visit customers' homes and collect money from them.
'However, these heat waves became an obstacle for our work. Unable to bear the sweltering heat, we couldn't visit the houses as per our target,' he added.
On the other hand, citizens are visiting cool drinks shops and ice cream parlours to get relief from the heat. While others are buying Palmyra fruits (ice apples). These fruits are said to cool the body and are effective to get relief from the sun heat.