Andhra Pradesh - Ongole   

Ongole reels as mercury rises

Special Correspondent

Records 43.5 degree Celsius, the highest so far this summer

ONGOLE: Dog days are here again when mercury rose to 43.5 degree Celsius on Tuesday, the highest recorded till now this summer.

All important roads wore a desolate look as people preferred to stay indoors and avoid hot winds even at 5 p.m.

Two decades ago, Ongole, with its hilly terrain, was known for its hot weather, particularly during summer when it experienced temperatures above 45 degree Celsius for most of the days.

But, after completion of Nagarjuna Sagar project, there was significant change in the weather. The project not only provided irrigation to vast areas in the district but also helped improve groundwater table and consequently the green cover. Huge quantity of water is stored in the twin summer storage tanks.

Hottest fortnight

These factors helped in bringing down the average temperature at least by five degrees and provided respite to people. Mercury hovered around 40 degrees for most of the season. It crossed the 45-degree mark only for four or five days during `Rohini karte', the hottest fortnight during summer.

But this year seemed to be different and mercury touched 43.5 degree Celsius even before the advent of `Rohini karte'. The lowest temperature recorded was 31.96 degree Celsius, giving an indication of the heat wave conditions prevailing.

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Ongole reels as mercury rises

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