The city, which has the dubious distinction of having only three seasons — hot, hotter, and hottest — lived up to its sobriquet ‘Blazewada’ on Saturday with temperature soaring to 42.5 degrees Celsius.
This was the highest temperature recorded so far this summer, though there was some respite in the later half of April.
The Hindu lensman dared the scorching heat to click and record the temperature displayed on the board set up by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board at around 2.30 p.m. The entire M.G. Road had very few vehicles and people did not dare to come out into the open.
Men and women covering their faces with scarf has become a common sight on the roads. Doctors are advising intake of more fluids to keep the balance of body salts. Others with sensitive skin have been advised to use sun-screen creams to ward off ill effects of direct exposure to harsh sunrays.
Except for some office goers and a few students writing examinations, the roads wore a deserted look. Several tender coconut vending stalls have been set up at a distance of every 100 metres. The health conscious people have been having buttermilk and cane juice to beat the heat and a few others settled for lemonade with a pinch of salt and soda so that they did not get affected by sunstroke.
A few people gathered at the Prakasam Barrage to take a plunge into the water in the reservoir and bathe along the ghats towards late afternoon. Some settled for a bath in the water accumulated on the concrete apron of the barrage in its shade downstream.
Watermelon and tender coconut are in great demand. A litre of coconut water is being sold for Rs.50 and a single coconut is priced at Rs.15.
With power-cuts increasing during day time and discom authorities resorting to power-cuts in evenings or switching off single phase so that people do not put additional load by switching on air-conditioners, it’s a torrid time literally in the city.
