Goa heat wave sees schools curtailing classes at noon

Amid the ongoing heatwave in Goa, the state government on Thursday directed all schools to shut down classes by noon today and on Friday.

The early closure of schools comes at a time when the mercury in the state rose to four to six degrees above normal temperature over the last week, according to the Indian Meteorological Department statistics.

"We have told schools to leave students by noon. It is for today and tomorrow," state Director for Education Shailesh Zingade told reporters here.

According to the IMD, heatwave-like conditions are expected to prevail in Goa on Thursday and Friday during which the "maximum temperature over Goa is likely to remain 4-6 °C higher than its normal value".

Temperature is expected to fall by "two to three degrees" from March 11 onwards.