No respite from sultry weather

Visakhapatnam: More than the heat the humidity levels are suffocating the north coastal Andhra, more so Visakhapatnam city with temperatures hovering between 35 degrees Celsius to 42 degrees since four days.Though the central city registered a temperature of 36 degrees in the day, the relative humidity was registered at 80 per cent causing maximum discomfort pushing the people indoors.

Highlights:

• Jagadamba, Daba Gardens, Dwarakanagar and Gajuwaka wear a deserted look as most of the people are preferring to stay indoors
• Despite these conditions, the city still remains the coolest place in the state
• The number of tourists visiting during this summer vacation indicates that the place is convenient for holiday revellers
• Come evening, thousands of tourists and local people are seen at the RK Beach, Tenneti Park, Kailasagiri Hill, Rushikonda and Thotlakonda

These adverse conditions affected the normal life in the city and surrounding areas on Thursday. The busiest junctions such as Jagadamba, Daba Gardens, Dwarakanagar and Gajuwaka in the city wore a deserted look as most of the people in the City of Destiny preferred to stay indoors. Those outside were seen covering their faces with wet towels and scarves.
The weathermen and climate experts predicted hot winds will continue to affect the city till the southwest monsoons set in over the coast which is expected during the first week of next month.

Despite these conditions, the city still remained the coolest place in the state and hinterland of Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu. The number of tourists visiting during this summer vacation indicates that the place is convenient for the holiday revellers. Come evening, thousands of tourists and local people are seen at the RK Beach, Tenneti Park, Kailasagiri Hill, Rushikonda and Thotlakonda.

But the weather is giving tough time for the hawkers, fish and vegetable vendors, daily wage earners, transport workers and those living in slums in the city. The marketing executives representing the big companies, too, are having it hard to travel in the mid-day sun.

“I am not able to move from one place to another to keep up the prior scheduled appointments due to humid weather. More than the heat, it is sweating that is making life miserable,’’ said P Ashok Kumar, who represents a cell phone service company.

Among the women, almost all the young are covering up their head, face, arms exposing not an inch of their skin.However, the juice vendors seen with a broad smile as people are swarming them to beat the heat.