Saturday, 27 APRIL 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Experts have advised citizens to take precautions against heat wave conditions. Officials said this and discussed other points in a State-level training workshop on preparations for heat wave organised by the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) here on Friday. Directions were also issued for protection from heat wave in the workshop attended online by officials of various departments.
Meteorological centre scientist Rohit Thapliyal said that the possibility of heat wave conditions develops when the temperature reaches 40 degrees Celsius in the plains and 30 degrees Celsius in the mountains. A heat wave is declared when the temperature in any two places remains four and a half to six and a half degrees Celsius above normal for two consecutive days or when the temperature remains above 40 degrees Celsius in the plains and above 30 degrees Celsius in the mountains. The possibility of heat wave conditions developing becomes stronger when hot air remains present in one place for a long time, when there is a lack of moisture in the upper atmosphere and when the sky is clear. In Uttarakhand, the temperature tends to remain the highest in the last week of May and the first week of June, Thapliyal said.
Dr Sujata from the Health department said that heat can also prove fatal in some circumstances which makes it necessary to observe precaution. A person suffering the effects of heat may experience extreme fatigue, weakness, dizziness, headache, anxiety, palpitation, confusion and other symptoms. It is necessary for one to consume an adequate quantity of water and drink water even when not feeling thirsty. Heat affects pregnant women, children, the elderly and sick persons the most. She further said that one should avoid going outdoors between 12 PM and 3 PM during the summer. Women should also avoid cooking during this time, she added.
Dr Vimlesh Joshi said that animals also face as much danger from heat waves as humans, considering which necessary care should be taken. One should not leave children in cars parked in the sun as this can be dangerous.
USDMA weather expert Pooja Rana said that the Government of India declared the heat wave a natural disaster in 2019. One should pay attention to the alerts issued by the meteorological department and follow the guidelines for protection from the heat. She further said that a ‘water bell’ should be rung in schools about every hour so that the children remember to drink water.
