Advisory as feels like temperature to reach 40 degrees in coming weeks
The temperatures recorded at these five stations is shared on the Met office's Viber group at 11 am, 2 pm and 5 pm every day.
The national meteorological service (MET) on Saturday advised people to be cautious while stepping outdoors as this month will see the hottest forecast for the country, with the 'feels like temperature' likely to reach 40 degrees celsius.
The minimum feels like temperature was hovering between 31.6 degrees celsius and 32 degrees celsius in different parts of the country at 11am on Saturday, the MET said in a statement.
However, during this period, the humidity increases with the lack of winds and keeps the air temperature high, resulting in the heat being felt much more than it actually is, the Met office said. The feels like temperature across the country:
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Hanimadhoo - 40.4 degrees celsius
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Hulhule - 39.3 degrees celsius
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Kaddhoo – 40.4 degrees celsius
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Kaadehdhoo - 39.6 degrees celsius
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Gan - 39.8 degrees celsius
The temperatures recorded at these five stations is shared on the MET office's Viber group at 11am, 2pm and 5pm every day.
According to the MET office, the maximum temperature is observed every day at 2pm.
Such high levels of feels like temperature can lead to health issues. The MET office has taken note of these and shared some preventive measures.
Here are some health issues that can happen due to a heat wave:
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Fatigue and fainting
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Cramps
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Headaches and dizziness
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Darker urine or infrequent urination due to dehydration
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Eye damage
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Skin peeling and rashes
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Excessive sweating
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Vomiting
It is advisable to seek medical attention if you have symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, or vomiting.
Children, the elderly, and those working in the outdoors are more likely to experience such health problems. Therefore, it is advised not to take the young ones or sensitive ones out during the hot hours and take precautionary measures in case they have to be taken out.
Here's what you can do to avoid:
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Using umbrellas
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Wearing light colours and light clothes with maximum coverage
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Using a sun hat or a hat with a broad brim for better shade
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If spending a lot of time in the sun, use sunscreen lotion above SPF 15
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Drink plenty of water even if not thirsty to prevent dehydration
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Using sunglasses that filters UV radiation
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Consuming high-sugar beverages
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Avoid stepping out at the hottest hours
Every year, the country experiences the highest temperatures in April and May. Last year, the maximum feels like temperature was recorded at 33.8 degrees celsius in April-May.
Meanwhile, the Maldives Marine Research Institute has warned that the impact of El Nino, which causes global ocean temperatures to rise above normal due to climate change, will also be severe in the coming days.
STELCO has also called to economise power usage in view of the rising consumption of electricity due to heat wave conditions these days.
