IMD warns of extreme weather conditions in Andhra Pradesh during summer

VISAKHAPATNAM: The summer is here. The state has been put on high alert over the possibility of a heat wave during the summer.
According to the sources, the temperature may touch 47 degree Celsius to 48 degree Celsius this year.
In the last five years, Veligandla in Prakasam district had registered the highest temperature during the summer.
Veligandla registered 48.6 degree Celsius of maximum temperature on May 2 in 2016.
The weathermen also cautioned about the possibility of more lightnings compared with last year, suggesting that there was a need to take measures for safeguarding the lives of people.
According to India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) report on Seasonal Outlook for temperatures from March to May 2020, there will be maximum temperatures above the normal by 0.5 degree Celsius to 1 degree Celsius over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.
“The probability of rise in the maximum temperatures will be 43% this summer. This will be attributed to various statistical models. There will be higher chances of thunderstorms too this summer,” said K Nagaratna, director, IMD, Hyderabad Centre.
Speaking to TOI, Nagaratna said Rayalaseema and south coastal Andhra Pradesh districts would have the highest chances of rise in temperature levels. The thunderstorms would give good amount of rains too at the same time, she added.
Already some areas in the state welcomed the summer with pre-monsoon showers. Therlam in Vizianagaram district received the state’s highest rainfall of 33 mm on Sunday while Nellore and Guntur areas received less than 10 mm of rainfall.
The weathermen cautioned the state government to start working on the measures to be taken up in the summer like alerting the revenue staff over the deaths due to the lightnings, provisions of water kiosks at every possible locations, particularly heat island areas as part of the precautionary measures.
A senior GVMC official said that they would conduct a meeting with the staff to chalk out a plan for the summer. The plan would include the prevention of drinking water problems, provision of water kiosks at the public places, repairing of borewells, etc.