Parts of interior T.N. will have to brace for heatwave on polling day

Alert for heatwave conditions in north and interior Tamil Nadu as temperatures soar above 40 degrees till April 22.

The Regional Meteorological Centre has raised an alert for heatwave conditions to prevail in north and interior Tamil Nadu on Friday, when the State is set to go to polls.

While many places in the State will have to brace for unrelenting heat till Monday, some places in north interior districts are likely to come under the grip of relentless heat, with mercury level expected to soar to abnormally high temperatures, by nearly five-degree Celsius than usual.

The maximum temperature is likely to peak above the 40-degree-mark in places such as Tiruvallur, Karur, Tiruchi, Vellore, Perambalur, Salem and Erode on Friday. Residents may have to prepare themselves for heatwave conditions, with temperatures expected to be above 40 degree Celsius till April 22.

Many places have already started sizzling, with Vellore hitting 41.5 degree Celsius on Thursday. Mercury level breached the 40-degree-mark in various places, such as Tiruttani, Tiruchi, Madurai, Karur Paramathi, Salem, Erode and Dharmapuri.

With the heatwave episode set to last for a few days, IMD has also come up with an advisory to help people combat heat stress. It has warned that people who have shifted from cooler weather to places with hot weather may be at risk.

S.Balachandran, Additional Director General of Meteorology, Chennai, said the temperature is expected to rise to abnormally high level in northern parts of the State for a few days. However, the day temperature would drop gradually by two to three degree Celsius from April 21 when the cool, easterly winds will begin to penetrate land. Rain is likely to bring down the mercury level in some places.

Officials of the Meteorological Department said the day temperature is likely to rise upto 38 degree Celsius in the rest of the State and Puducherry on Friday. Chennai’s Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam recorded 37.3 degree Celsius and 38.7 degree Celsius respectively on Thursday. None of the weather stations received rainfall till Thursday evening.