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With many parts of Kerala reeling under intense heat, the state government on Saturday announced a series of plans including setting up water kiosks in local bodies and busy commercial streets in anticipation of a heat wave and possible sun stroke. Cold water, butter milk and oral rehydration solution (ORS) would be kept as per requirement in these water kiosks, known as 'thanneer pandals" in local parlance, across the state. The kiosks should be kept open till May, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan directed in a meeting of State Disaster Management Authority which was attended by heads of various departments and district collectorates here. District-wise notification should be issued to the general public about the location of such 'thanneer pandals' and public buildings and the space provided by noble people can be used for the same, he said. Village panchayats, municipalities and corporations would be allotted Rs 2 lakh, 3 lakh and 5 lakh respectively from the Disaster Response Fu
Severe heat waves, responsible for thousands of deaths across India over the last few decades, are increasing with alarming frequency and soon the country could become one of the first places in the world to experience heat waves that break the human survivability limit, according to a new report. The World Bank report titled "Climate Investment Opportunities in India's Cooling Sector" said the country is experiencing higher temperatures that arrive earlier and stay far longer. "In April 2022, India was plunged into the grip of a punishing early spring heat wave that brought the country to a standstill, with temperatures in the capital, New Delhi, topping 46 degrees Celsius (oC) (114 degrees Fahrenheit). The month of March, which witnessed extraordinary spikes in temperatures, was the hottest ever recorded", it said. The report will be released during the two-day "India Climate and Development Partners' Meet" being organised by World Bank in partnership with the Kerala government ..
California will face its highest chance of blackouts this year as a brutal heat wave continues to blanket the state with triple-digit heat, officials have warned. As people crank up their air conditioners, the state forecast record levels of energy use that could exceed supply Monday evening, said Elliot Mainzer, president of California Independent System Operators, which runs the state's electrical grid. The state could fall 2,000 to 4,000 megawatts of electricity short of its power supply, which represents as much as 10 per cent of normal demand, he said. State energy officials said the electrical load on Tuesday potentially could hit 51,000 watts, the highest demand ever seen in California. CAISO issued a Flex Alert call for voluntary conservation between 4 pm and 10 pm on Monday and for 4 pm to 10 pm Tuesday, making seven alerts in as many days. Consumers were urged to keep air conditioners at 78 degrees (25.5 degrees C) or higher during the period and avoiding using major ...
Mercury in the national capital fell by a few notches as the minimum temperature on Tuesday settled at 24.6 degrees Celsius, even as the weather office has forecast cloudy sky with light rain later in the day. The city recorded a relative humidity of 82 per cent at 8:30 AM, according to data shared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The minimum temperature on Monday was recorded at 26.9 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature stood at 35.9 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal. Rains lashed parts of Delhi on Monday. Tuesday's minimum temperature of 24.6 degrees Celsius is two notches below normal, the IMD said. The MeT office has forecast generally cloudy sky with light rain later in the day, with the maximum temperature expected to settle around 35 degrees Celsius. The minimum and maximum temperature readings on Wednesday are likely to settle at 26 degrees Celsius and 35 degrees Celsius, respectively, according to IMD forecast. The air quality index (AQI) of D