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Met Dept warns: Beware of the heat and stay hydrated
View(s):The Meteorology Department has issued a severe heat wave advisory in the upcoming weeks for the northern, eastern and north-central provinces as southwesterly winds pass through the region, a senior official of the department said. “Currently the temperature in some parts of the country is recorded as 36 degrees. There won’t be a sudden increase but the public should take early precautions,” the department’s duty meteorologist Janaka Kumara said.
According to the Probabilistic Temperature Forecast prepared by Meteorological Department for May, there is a high chance of the country experiencing a temperature slightly above the average maximum temperatures (30.1) in Anuradhapura, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Puttalam, Ratnapura, Trincomalee, Vavunia and Kurunegala districts and slightly below average Maximum Temperatures (26) in Badulla, Batticaloa, Colombo, Galle and Hambantota Districts.
The department also warned the public that as a result of the heat they could suffer from cramps and heat exhaustion and in extreme cases heat stroke if subjected to the heat wave for a long duration. The public are asked to stay hydrated and seek shade whenever possible when outdoors during the day.
With day time temperatures shooting the mercury upto unbearable levels, this Colombo Municipal Council worker is seen taking a bottle of water with him to stay hydrated while working. Pic by Indika Handuwala
Gampaha hospital Senior Consultant Physician Prof Aruna Munasinghe told the Sunday Times that people are feeling the heat excessively because the high humidity hinders the evaporation of sweat obstructing the natural cooling of the body.
He said because Sri Lanka does not experience extreme heat waves as India does, there are reports of people feeling great thirst, fatigue and suffering from skin conditions due to excessive sweating.
Prof Munasinghe advised the public to use umbrellas to ward off the burning sun and avoid engaging in heavy labour activities during day time. “People should drink more water since thirst is the sign that one needs to replenish lost water in the body” .