Kerala reeling under hot sun

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala is reeling under hot sun.

Most of the streams and rivers have dried up. Though occasional summer rain occurred in many parts of the State this month, the temperatures came down only for a few days.

Temperatures have touched 41 degree Celsius in Punalur and Palakkad. There were three deaths from suspected sun stroke last week. At least 70 people have been hospitalised with burns and other symptoms.

Crop loss has been reported from districts such as Idukki, Wayanad and Kannur. Cardamom and areacanut were among the crops hit.

Substantial areas of forests, including that in protected areas, have been destroyed by fire. The Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary has been closed to visitors for fear of fires.

Storage in State's reservoirs has dropped to 31 per cent of their storage capacity. Idukki has only 28 per cent water despite reduction in power generation. However, the situation in Kerala is better than many parts of the country. Storage in 91 major reservoirs in the country was only 22 per cent of their capacity on April 21 against 65 per cent on the same day last year. In the Southern region, this is only 14 per cent against 23 per cent last year.