Residents seem to be in for a scorching summer ahead with the mercury climbing steadily over the past few days and the hot weather being accentuated by the monsoon failure and absence of summer showers.
The mercury has been hovering around 39 degree Celsius, just about one degree above normal, over the past few days. Though situation is still not as bad during the same time last year, which turned out to be one of the hottest years in recent memory, residents are reeling under the searing heat. “Though March was relatively better than the past few years, the heat is gradually turning severe. Coming after the monsoon failure, the hot weather appears to be intense and turning gradually unbearable,” said Anand, a resident.
The continuing dry weather holds ominous portends for residents and farmers of the district. Residents in several dry belts such as Manapparai, Marungapuri and Thathaiyengarpet areas are facing drinking water shortage and farmers complain that they are finding it difficult to provide adequate drinking water for their cattle. Nearby districts such as Karur, Perambalur, Ariyalur, and Pudukottai districts have also been experiencing hot and dry weather.
According to the website of the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, Tiruchi experienced one of the hottest summers over the past 10 years in 2016. The mercury touched 42.4 degree Celsius on April 25 last year, slightly lower than the all time record (for the month) of 42.8 degree Celsius registered on April 19, 1986.
In recent years, the maximum temperature in Tiruchi has been consistently above 40 degree Celsius during April. The scorching summer is expected to continue in May unless there are some summer showers. The record for maximum temperature in Tiruchi for the month is 43.3 degree Celsius recorded on May 2, 1896.
With the Cauvery remaining dry for the past few months, the ground water table in Tiruchi and along the river has gone down badly. Already many residents have started deepening their borewells.
As residents seek to beat the heat, tender coconut and water melon vendors, fresh juice and ice-cream parlours are doing brisk business. The price of tender coconuts has shot up to Rs.40-45 a nut this year. Some of the vendors said tender coconut arrival from groves around Tiruchi has been poor due to the drought conditions prevailing over the past few months. Many traders procure coconuts from Pollachi.
Meanwhile, the district administration has issued a health advisory to residents to take adequate precautionary steps in view the rising temperature. Collector K.S.Palanisamy, in a statement, asked the residents to keep themselves well hydrated by increasing their water intake. He advised them to avoid venturing out between noon and 3 p.m. and not to leave children and pets unattended inside cars.
