Health Minister urges precautions as IMD issues heatwave warning for north interior Karnataka

RAICHUR: With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a warning about a temperature rise from March 15 to 19 over north Interior Karnataka, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Saturday urged people to take precautionary measures and avoid traveling outside between 12 noon and 3 pm.

Ainapur Hobli village in the Kalaburagi district recorded the highest temperature in the last 24 hours at 42.8 degrees Celsius.

Speaking in Raichur, Dinesh Gundu Rao said, “As the heat is increasing, the government will decide on revising the work timings of government offices. Officers should avoid field visits in the afternoon. Government employees should not go outside between 12 noon and 3 pm. Work should be scheduled for the morning or evening. Temperatures in Raichur district are nearing 43 to 44 degrees Celsius.”

He also urged schools and institutions to take the necessary precautions due to the soaring temperatures. “Focus on food and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. We have all necessary facilities in government hospitals,” he added.

According to IMD forecasts for the next five days, maximum temperatures in North Interior Karnataka are expected to rise by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius from March 15 to 17. Additionally, a heatwave warning has been issued for isolated places in the region on March 18 and 19.

No major change in maximum temperatures is expected over South Interior Karnataka for the next 24 hours, but a gradual rise of 2 to 3 degrees Celsius is likely in the following days.

According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), several districts, including Kalaburagi, Bidar, Bagalkote, Raichur, Yadgir, and Vijayapura, recorded maximum temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius and above on Friday. Some areas in Bagalkote and Belagavi also experienced extreme heat.

Temperatures have risen to extremes in isolated places in the Tumakuru, Ballari, Gadag, Koppala, Uttara Kannada, Vijayanagara, Chikkaballapura, and Mysuru districts.

“17 locations in Kalaburagi district, 13 locations each in Bidar and Raichur districts, 10 locations in Vijayapura district, eight locations in Yadgir district, six locations each in Bagalkote and Belagavi districts, three locations in Tumakuru district, two locations each in Ballari, Gadag, Koppala, Uttara Kannada and Vijayanagara districts, one location in Chikkaballapura and Mysuru districts recorded a maximum temperature of 40 degrees Celsius and above,” weather bulletin issued by the KSNDMC read.

According to an analysis by the IMD of the maximum temperatures in Karnataka compared to normal values for this time of year, isolated places in north Interior Karnataka recorded “considerably above normal” temperatures yesterday, with maximum temperatures significantly higher than usual by 3.1 to 5.0 degrees Celsius.

The temperature at a few places in north and south interior Karnataka, as well as in coastal Karnataka, remained “above normal” – higher than usual by a smaller margin of 1.6 to 3.0 degrees Celsius. Moreover, temperatures remained close to “near normal” across most of the state, fluctuating between -1.5 to 1.5 degrees Celsius. (ANI)