The sudden downpour on May Day owing to the influence of cyclone Fani may have brought down the temperature a bit, but that is hardly a consolation for a district known for its sizzling summers. A popular adage is that in Guntur, even the stone slabs outside homes used to break due to the extreme temperatures.
The summer of 2019 could well turn out be a summer of discontent as the people of the district continue to reel under scorching and prolonged heat conditions. The season’s highest temperature of 43.5°C was recorded at Rompicharla mandal, which is just two degrees lesser than the highest temperature recorded in the year 2018 at Rentachintala village in Gurazala mandal (45.5°C). Yet this is just the beginning of May and the temperatures are expected to soar around mid-May. However, no deaths due to summer have been reported so far, indicating that the people have been taking precautionary measures to prevent heat stroke.
The summer of 2019 however, is not without its share of action on the political front as general elections concluded on April 11, leaving most of political leaders cooling their heels.
Rentachintala village is known for its record temperatures in summer. The rocky village located downstream of Nagarjuna Sagar Project witnesses highest temperatures up to 48°C to 50°C.
So far, the number of cases relating heat stroke has shown a steady increase. The Casualty department at the Government General Hospital here has been recording an average of 5 to 6 cases of heat/sun stroke. However, most of the patients were being sent after administering first aid and intravenous fluids. The more severe cases were being admitted in the Medicine department. The district has recorded 84 heat stroke cases so far, but there are no reports of any deaths.
Collector Kona Sasidhar said that 1,349 drinking water camps have been established so far, and 31,273 shelters have been set up.
Doctors have warned that children and the elderly people are prone to suffer from the heat stroke and advised them to stay indoors. "Prolonged exposure to severe heat may lead to fluid imbalance in children and the elderly people. In the case of older and sick people, it may even lead o multiple organ failure resulting in death," Superintendent, GGH DS Raju Naidu said.