Central districts in grip of heat wave as mercury levels soar
Normally, Tiruchi experiences peak summer in May when the maximum temperature soars over 42 degree Celsius The Class X student is recipient of the State Award for Girl Child Empowerment this year
Residents of Tiruchi and its neighbouring districts are reeling under a heat wave as the mercury levels have soared over the past week.
The maximum temperature in the city hovered above 41 degree Celsius, over the past few days. Tuesday was slightly better with the maximum temperature in the city being 40.3 degree Celsius, which was still 2.2 degrees above normal.
Heat wave conditions prevailed in neighbouring districts such as Karur, Perambalur and Ariyalur too. On Tuesday, K.Paramathi in Karur district recorded 41.2 degree Celsius, 3.7 degrees above normal.
Normally, Tiruchi experiences peak summer in May when the maximum temperature soars over 42 degree Celsius. But in recent years April too has been turning equally hot, with the mercury consistently crossing 40 degree Celsius. The all-time high for the month is 42.8 degree Celsius recorded in
A coconut vendor plying his trade in Tiruchi on Tuesday, as demand for the thirst quenchers has shot up in the city.
1896, according to data on extreme weather conditions on the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) website. In recent years, the city recorded 42.5 degree Celsius on April 4, 2021 and 42.4 degree Celsius on April 25, 2016. Last
year, the highest for the month in Tiruchi was 40.3 degrees Celsius, recorded on April 21.
The hot weather was in line with the Chennai Regional Meteorological Centre’s warning to the people of ‘hot and discomfort
weather” due to high temperatures and humid conditions till April 27. The district administrations too had issued advisories, asking them to protect themselves from the heat wave conditions. Trac has been thin on the city roads during the afternoons.
The soaring mercury holds out the threat of a long summer ahead and left the residents fervently hoping for some summer showers. “Summers seem to getting hotter and longer in Tiruchi. The dry heat is leaving us feeling exhausted by lunch time” said Sekar, a construction worker.
As residents seek to beat the heat, tender coconut and water melon vendors, fresh juice and ice-cream parlours are doing brisk business.
The price of tender coconuts has shot up by ₹10 a nut this year, especially those brought from Pollachi region. Good sized tender coconuts are sold at ₹60 apiece. Given the high demand, they are sold at a premium by some vendors around places of public congregation such as bus stands.
“Arrivals have been good. But the eld price has gone up this year and I have to shell out ₹52 a nut. I sell it at a reasonable price of ₹60 apiece though some sell at ₹80 in parts of the city,” said Rajendran, a vendor at Thillai Nagar.
While Tiruchi’s residents have retreated indoors to beat the heat, a schoolgirl, M.P. Sugitha, has been going out, looking for street vendors who are insuciently protected against the sunshine, and gifting them umbrellas and handheld fans.
Ms. Sugitha, a Class X student of St. Joseph’s Anglo-Indian Girls’ Higher Secondary School, and recipient of the State Award for Girl Child Empowerment this year, has an abiding interest in helping the poor and needy since the age of 10.
For the past ve years, the resident of Ranjithapuram neighbourhood has been donating bedsheets, clothes and footwear to socially disadvantaged people, with the support of her family.
She has won prizes for her expertise in the traditional martial art of silambam and is currently learning competitive gun shooting.
The recent hot weather in Tiruchi inspired her to shortlist 100 pavement stall holders who needed help to make their workday bearable.
As of Sunday, Ms. Sugitha has gifted umbrellas and fans to 50 peoples, and is now waiting for stocks to be replenished.
“I nd it painful to see men and women sitting out in the hot sun, sweating profusely while trying to sell vegetables, fruits or ¦owers, so the best way I could help them is with an umbrella and a fan,” the 15year-old told The Hindu.
Helping her in the task is her college-going brother Sujit, and their father R. Mohan, who runs a printing press in Tiruchi.
With each umbrella costing between ₹400₹600, Ms. Sujitha meets her expenses largely through her own e§orts, said her father.
“The State award came with a cash prize of ₹1 lakh, which has helped her plan this year’s initiative. Sugitha has two money-boxes, one to buy a motorbike, and the other for her social causes. She has chosen a golf umbrella, which has a bigger span than other models for this year’s project. We are sourcing it from Madurai,” said Mr. Mohan.