AHMEDABAD: This sizzling April continued to torment Amdavadis on Friday, the third consecutive day that the city recorded a maximum temperature higher than 44 degrees celsius. On Wednesday, the maximum was 44.2 degrees, on Thursday it was 44.4 degrees and on Friday, it was 44.2 degrees. There’s no respite ahead, as the maximum temperature on Saturday is likely to be in the 44-45 degrees range.
Gandhinagar, Kheda, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Amreli and Kutch also witnessed heatwave conditions. The heatwave is likely to continue in these districts on Saturday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast. ‘No large change in maximum temperatures during next 3-4 days; thereafter, a fall of 2-3 degrees celsius during the subsequent two days very likely,’ the forecast said.
Manorama Mohanty, head of IMD Gujarat, said high temperatures will continue for the next few days due to the wind direction. “Currently, the wind direction is northwesterly, bringing heat to the state. Often respite comes from a change in wind direction, bringing in moisture from the Arabian Sea. But this is not happening as of now,” she said. “Parts of North Gujarat, Saurashtra and Kutch will witness high temperatures for the next few days.”
City roads were deserted in the afternoon as traffic thinned out, and citizens also preferred to venture out only after 9pm. “We try to get cold drinks or gola in the night as the heat is scorching in the day. I’ve also tried to organize meetings over the phone rather than travelling,” said Shaival Parikh, a city-based professional.
Physicians say sustained heat exposure can cause many health issues, such as fatigue, head and body aches, upset stomachs and diarrhoea.
