Heatwave: AP CM Naidu orders shelters, water supply to fight crisis

AP CM Chandrababu Naidu reviewed heatwave preparedness, directing officials to arrange cooling shelters, drinking water, and ORS packets. He also suggested declaring local holidays in areas with extreme temperatures to protect the public.

Andhra Pradesh CM Reviews Heatwave Preparedness

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed preparedness measures on Friday to protect people from severe temperatures and heatwave conditions in the state. To tackle the heatwave situation, the Chief Minister directed officials to arrange tents, cooling shelters, cold drinking water, buttermilk, and ORS packets at various locations. He further instructed authorities to consider declaring local holidays in areas witnessing extreme temperatures and emphasised ensuring an uninterrupted drinking water supply in both rural and urban areas.

The Chief Minister also directed District Collectors to hold media briefings to raise awareness about heat intensity and precautions to be taken by the public. Chief Secretary Sai Prasad and senior officials from the Disaster Management, Health, Municipal Administration, and Panchayat Raj departments attended the review meeting.

Nationwide Heatwave Alerts Issued

The direction comes amid temperatures across many parts of the country have skyrocketed, with several areas experiencing a severe heatwave, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue Red and Orange alerts across multiple states.

Expert Warns of Heat Impact on Children

Dr Shalini Tyagi, Director of Paediatric Care at Medanta, Noida, on Thursday, advised parents to take extra precautions for children amid rising heatwave conditions, warning that children are more vulnerable to dehydration, heat stress and related infections during extreme weather.

The warning comes as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for heatwave conditions in Delhi, Haryana, and Chandigarh, with similar conditions likely in several other states, including Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Telangana, Odisha, and Uttarakhand.

Speaking to ANI about the impact of heat on children's health, Dr Tyagi said, "Every weather change affects children more than it affects adults. If you look at it, children have a larger body surface area relative to their weight, meaning they absorb more heat. Additionally, their thermoregulation system is not as well-developed as it is in adults." (ANI)

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