With temperature rising to 42 degrees Celsius in Gujarat, over 28,000 people across the State made calls to emergency number 108 in the past one-and-half month, complaining of heat-related emergency.
Among the 11,261 emergency calls received during May, 2,551 were cases of unconsciousness, 2,399 of abdominal pain, 1,242 of vomiting, and 1,161 of chest pain. As many as 1,752 calls were received about collapse of the same number of people due to heat, even as over 600 fainted during this period. At least three people have lost their lives in the State due to heat wave that has swept Gujarat for over a fortnight. It continued on Wednesday with State capital Gandhinagar recording 43.1 degrees centigrade.
Heat wave is likely to continue for the next week. “There is no significant rain causing scenario that can give respite. The temperature is likely to remain above 40 degrees for at least coming five days,” said Jayanta Sarkar, Gujarat director of India Meteorological Department (IMD). “The situation is going to be worse in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Amreli, Rajkot, Deesa and Bhuj.”
Though the IMD had issued a warning of heat wave on Wednesday, condition in the State was relatively better due to westerly winds bringing in moist air. “Till Monday, Gujarat had dry north westerly winds. This had raised the temperature in many parts of the State even above 44.5 degrees Celsius, with Gandhinagar being hottest with 44.6 degrees Celsius,” said a senior official of the IMD.
The State Government has also issued an advisory across the State, asking people to stay indoors unless “necessary”. In the advisory, it stated that people should stay away from consumption of tea, coffee or alcohol, as its consumption increases the risk of heatstroke. The State Government has also advised people to use home-made remedies, including using neem leaves for bathing and drinking concoction made of rose, khus, black grapes, dry mango or eating watermelon at regular intervals.
Cartoon by Nirjhar