Even as the summer season is yet to start, the mercury touched the 40 degrees Celsius mark in Chhattisgarh on Sunday, forcing people to take steps to protect themselves from the blazing heat, according to the Met Department. This is two degrees more than the normal temperature for this time of the year in the state.

Temperature in most parts of the state oscillated around 40 degrees Celsius and the rise in mercury was palpable even before noon. People preferred to stay inside their homes and ventured outside with faces covered.

"Day by day the temperature will now rapidly increase till the arrival of the monsoon," said Assistant Weather Scientist JK Ingle. The department has predicted that the temperatures will leap by three-four degrees within two days. The temperature is expected to touch at least 47 degrees Celsius this summers, he said.

People have equipped their homes with coolers and air-conditioners. Sale of fruits, sugarcane juice, cucumber, watermelon, musk melons have increased. Sale of packaged water has also risen in the state, especially at places like railway stations and bus stands.

According to the Meteorological Department, Rajnandgaon recorded a maximum of 40.2 degrees Celsius, Durg stood at 39.7 degrees Celsius, Bilaspur at 38 degrees Celsius, Raigarh at 39 degrees Celsius and Champa at 40.2 degrees Celsius. Even Jagdalpur recorded 40.2 degrees Celsius while Ambikapur stood at a minimum of 36 degrees Celsius.

The rising heat is expected to help the farmers in the state as the soaring temperature will kill the insects and bacteria that infect the plants leading to loss to the farmers after the state received untimely rainfall till mid-March. After the rains stopped, the temperature in the state has recorded steep increase.

The minimum temperature in the state also remained well above the normal. The state capital recorded a minimum of 25.6 degrees Celsius which is three degrees

Celsius above the normal temperature.