Manipur sweats as temperature soars
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 18 2023: Even though the State has not yet experienced any heat wave, the average temperature reached 39.6 Degree Celsius during the last couple of days.

Considering the possible health impacts of the soaring temperature, the Health Department has started collecting surveillance reports of heat related illnesses from all districts.

Talking with The Sangai Express on the global climate change, rising temperature in the State and its impacts on the people, Environment and Climate Change Joint Director T Brajakumar maintained that there is no report of heat wave from any part of the State till date even though Manipur has become much hotter during the last couple of days.

Although there is no heat wave in the State till date, the situation has reached an alarming stage and the possibility of heat wave is quite high. Warnings of heat wave have already been received, he said.

If the temperature of a region or a State rises by one degree Celsius for five consecutive days beyond the tolerance limit of mankind, the particular region or State would be said to be struck by heat wave, Brajakumar.

But there is no specific figure for identification or declaration of heat wave, he added.

From 2015 till the current year, the maximum temperature reached 39 Degree Celsius.

The temperature is higher in the western and southern parts of Manipur.

Average temperature rose by almost 5 Degree Celsius from the normal temperature in the southern part of Manipur during the last couple of days.

The temperature rose in the northern part too but it was not much, he remarked.

Moreh recorded a maximum temperature of 40 Degree Celsius in 2015.Maximum temperature of 39 Degree Celsius was recorded at Noney and Tamenglong in the same year, he said.

March and April are the hottest months in Manipur.

It is hot in June too but the arrival of rain cools down the temperature to some extent, Brajakumar said.

According to the daily weather report shared by the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, Tengnoupal was the hottest district of the State on April 17 with the temperature soaring to 39.65 Degree Celsius.

Maximum temperatures recorded on the day in different districts were Noney 39.61, Bishnupur 34.38, Churachandpur 35.92, Imphal East 35.74, Kakching 33.98, Senapati 32.66, Tamenglong 28.45 and Ukhrul 26.61 Degree Celsius.

Meanwhile, the National Weather forecasting Centre of India Meteorological Department reported that most parts of North-West, Central and East India recorded maximum temperatures of 40 to 42 Degree Celsius during the last couple of days.

Sultanpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh recorded a maximum temperature of 43.4 Degree Celsius on April 16 while Prayagraj in eastern UP recorded 44.4 Degree Celsius yesterday.

Moreover, normal temperatures rose by 5.1 Degree Celsius in some isolated areas of gangetic West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya and Odisha, according to another report of the India Meteorological Department.

The same report said that normal temperature rose by 3.1 to 5 Degree Celsius in Punjab, west Rajasthan, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, east Madhya Pradesh, east Uttar Pradesh, gangetic West Bengal, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.

The IMD report says that some parts of gangetic West Bengal, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar and coastal Andhra Pradesh are now experiencing heat wave.

On the precautionary measures taken up by the Health Department regarding the soaring temperature in Manipur, National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health State Nodal Officer Dr Y Nivedita said that Manipur has not yet reached the stage of extreme heat or heat stroke.

At present, several parts of 23 States and Union Territories have been facing a situation of extreme heat, she said.

Although Manipur is not listed among the heat prone States, authorities have been working to create necessary awareness among the people in case heat wave strikes the State, Dr Nivedita said.

Efforts are on to collect surveillance reports of heat related illnesses from March 1 through the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) portal and forward it to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), she said.

Notably, NCDC is the nodal agency for heat wave.

Arrangements have been made on pilot basis for creation of emergency wards at PHC Sawombung, PHC Khumbong, Thoubal District Hospital, Jiribam District Hospital and Moreh sub-divisional hospital for treatment of illnesses caused by extreme heat or heat wave, if there is any.

Meanwhile, a team of the Public Health Foundation of India, Delhi would come to the State on April 25 to take stock of the preparations being made in the State to protect the people from possible heat wave.

The team would also provide technical support to the State Government.

On the other hand, surveillance has begun to check admission of patients in the emergency wards of hospitals/healthcare centres of different districts who collapsed due to extreme heat.

Talking about the public health advisory awareness being carried out by the Health Department so as to mitigate the impacts of possible heat wave, Dr Nivedita appealed to all the people to drink plenty of water even if one does not feel thirsty, carry water while going to works and drink ORS or juice regularly.

She further appealed to the public to wear loose-fitting cotton clothes as far as possible and also to wear a hat or carry an umbrella if one is going out in the sun.

People should avoid alcohol, tea, coffee, soft drinks and other fluids which have high sugar content as far as possible.

Kids as well as pets should not be kept inside stationary or parked vehicles, she added.

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