The city, known as ‘Blazewada’ for the extremely high temperature and hot and humid weather it witnesses every summer, is now being talked about for the extremely low temperature.
From the first week of December the city started witnessing cold weather and towards the end of the year, the temperature hit extreme low sending denizens into a tizzy. The lowest minimum temperature, 13.60C, recorded in the city (Gannavaram station) and surroundings on the night when denizens welcomed the new year was a record low in several years.
The deviation from the normal lowest minimum temperature was 40C negatively, a rare occurrence for the minimum temperature of any day, according to the IMD. Significantly, the minimum temperature departure was just a notch away from being declared as a ‘cold day’, according to the IMD’s criteria for cold wave and cold day. In coastal stations, a departure of -50C in minimum temperature is considered a cold day and cold wave is declared when it reaches 100C.
For those who could afford to protect themselves the weather came as a surprise but many in the city are reeling under the biting cold.
The roads are wearing a deserted look early in the night. The homeless are making a beeline to the shelter homes of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.
"The shelter homes are now more than full. Usually, in winter season more persons turn up," said S. Murali Krishna, CEO of Guide Foundation for Development, an NGO that runs three of the VMC’s five homes.
"The homes are all equipped to provide warmth to the inmates. Other facilities too have been improved and now there are also washing machines made available by the VMC," he said.
The NGOs are also providing blankets and food to the homeless sleeping in the open at different locations. The demand for sweaters and other woollen items at the special sale at the Alankar Centre has gone up. On the other hand some venture out to enjoy hot food at the night food court at the IGMC stadium.
Some of the educational institutions have temporarily scheduled the opening time by an hour or so to ensure no drop in attendance of students due to cold weather.
