Mercury crosses 40 deg C in 60% of Karnataka

The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre data said Raichur was the hottest district in the state, with the mercury crossing 44 degrees Celsius. Kodagu, the only district to not cross 38 degrees C, was at 37.4 degrees Celsius.

Hubballi: Thirty of the 31 districts in the state recorded more than 38 degrees Celsius on Thursday. Eighteen of them crossed the heat wave threshold temperature of 40 degrees Celsius. The rising temperature is expected to exacerbate the water crisis.   

According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, Raichur was the hottest district in the state, with the mercury crossing 44 degrees Celsius. Kodagu, the only district to not cross 38 degrees C, was at 37.4 degrees Celsius. Data shows that almost all the districts are at least one to three degrees Celsius above the average temperature recorded during March.

What is more worrying is the rising temperature in the Malnad districts of Karnataka, considered the holiday destination for people to beat the heat. Shivamogga recorded 40.2 degree Celsius, Chikkamagaluru 40.8 degree Celsius and Uttara Kannada 40.9 degree Celsius on Thursday. Bengaluru city recorded a maximum temperature of 39.2 degrees Celsius. 

Climate experts blame the heat on El Nino and climate change. 

However, officials at the India Meteorological Department, Bengaluru and Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, predict that the high temperature is expected to ease in the third or fourth week of April as La Nina impact starts setting in.  

IMD Bengaluru on Wednesday sounded a heatwave alert in six Kalyana Karnataka districts. Looking at the trend, sources in IMD say more districts could come under the heatwave's grip  soon. Weather scientists declare a region as heatwave impacted if the temperature crosses 40 degrees Celsius for three consecutive days or if it records four degrees above the average long-term temperature.

"March 2024 is one of the hottest years in the last five years. Several parts of the state, more specifically the north interior Karnataka, are witnessing temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius," said IMD Bengaluru scientist A Prasad.

Raichur (44.3 degree Celsius), Ballari (43.3 degrees Celsius), Kalaburagi (42.4 degrees Celsius), Yadgir (42.5 degrees Celsius), Bidar (42.4 degrees Celsius) and Vijayapura (42 degrees Celsius) continue to record high temperatures.

Revenue Department (Disaster Management) Principal Secretary V Rashmi Mahesh said not just Karnataka, the rising temperature is a pan-India phenomenon. "We are expecting the temperatures to be 2 degrees Celsius above normal till April third week. The temperatures may peak in April and ease down by May. Pre-monsoon showers can bring some respite. Weather scientists across the world are predicting that El-Nino's effect will weaken by May," she said.

Rashmi said the government has been preparing since September 2023 to mitigate any adverse impact caused by the prolonged dry season.

"Local administration has been given a free hand to address the natural adversities effectively. Regular meetings of officials from gram panchayat level to DCs are being held to monitor the situation. The district administrations are focused on ensuring that there is no scarcity of drinking water and looking at all the resources to reduce the impact on the public in general," she said.

Health & Family Welfare Services Commissioner Randeep D said all hospitals have been instructed to follow the standard operating procedure for patients complaining of health complications due to dehydration and heat strokes. All hospitals in the state have been equipped with the required medicines, he said.

Under Climate Change & Human Health programme, heatstrokes and sun strokes and related illnesses are to be reported by hospitals.