Tirupati/Anantapur: Though the summer season is yet to set in, Rayalaseema region sizzled on Wednesday with the mercury hovering above 40 degree Celsius at most places. Students appearing for exams were hit the most by the oppressive heat and frequent power cuts.
While Anantapur town scorched at 42 degrees, Tadipatri recorded 41 degrees. The temple town of Tirupati recorded 40.6, Kurnool 41 and Hindupur 40. Intense heat wave conditions prevailed in several towns as roads wore a deserted look right from the morning. Officials said these temperatures are normally recorded in the first week of April. The hill shrine of Tirumala felt the heat too, at 38 degrees on Wednesday. “Some 15 years ago, temperatures in Tirumala never crossed 33 degrees even during peak summer season,” a senior TTD official recalled.
Experts attributed the high temperatures to mushrooming of concrete structures, high carbon content in the air, less moisture levels and evaporation of water content in the atmosphere.
“Unless the authorities lay strict guidelines to put an end to further constructions and deforestation, the situation will worsen leading to recording of even 50 degrees in April-end/May,” an environmentalist said.
