Mahabubnagar: Summer heat keeps people indoors

Mahabubnagar: With summer heat hovering over 41-43 degree Celsius across the erstwhile Mahabubnagar district for the past two days, a majority of people are afraid to venture out and prefer to stay at home to protect themselves from the scorching heat waves.

Even though towards evening showers were occurring for the past week, however since the beginning of May, the days are getting hotter and after 9 am people do not go out unless it is necessary. Even then, they are taking all precautions to keep themselves cool in the hot sun and finishing their errands quickly. Except for one or two instances of hospitalization of people struck by the heat stress, they have been no deaths in Mahabubnagar district.

According to Dr K Rajini, Mahabubnagar District Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO), the health authorities are conducting awareness campaigns for the public on how to stay safe from heat wave. She cautioned the public to keep themselves fully hydrated with enough liquids and avoid dehydration as it may lead to ill-health, and even death. She said particularly farmers and labourers should avoid going out in the open after 11 am. Works, if any, should be attended to early in the mornings or evenings only. "This hot days have once again started. We are not venturing out in the afternoons and asking the contractors to allocate work only during mornings or evenings," said a daily wage labourer Bamini Bai from Jadcherla.

As it is paddy harvest season, the farmers are largely taking up works in the mornings. Come mid-day, all works are halted and resumed only when the sun cools down, said Hunya Naik of Shankarayapally village in Jadcherla.

Though the heat is on, the wind speed is low at around 8 to 10 kmph. If the wind speed increases any more, there is very much possibility of heat waves hitting the people hard.