IMD Issues Special Warning as Kerala Faces Potential Surge to 40-Degree Celsius Temperature

The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a special warning for Kerala, anticipating a surge in temperature with the possibility of reaching 40 degrees Celsius. A yellow alert has been declared in eight districts, including Kollam, Kottayam, and Palakkad, expecting a maximum temperature of 37 degrees Celsius on both Wednesday and Thursday. Additionally, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, and Kannur districts are forecasted to experience a maximum temperature of 36 degrees Celsius. The rising temperatures have led to concerns about water scarcity, prompting the health department to advise employers to grant breaks to outdoor workers between 11 am to 3 pm. The El Niño phenomenon is identified as the cause of this unseasonable warmth, characterized by abnormal warming of the sea surface in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, leading to a widespread increase in temperatures. The health department has also noted an increase in communicable diseases, including a spike in Chickenpox cases and incidents of diarrhoea, emphasizing the need for precautionary measures.