Published on Nov 1, 2024
Current Affairs
Heatwaves - State specific disaster
- The State government of Tamilnadu has declared heatwave as a disaster. The States including Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Kerala, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka have already declared heat waves as a state-specific disaster.
- The States are not eligible to get financial assistance from the Union government under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 since heatwaves are not currently classified as a national disaster in India. With the declaration, families of heat wave victims would get Rs 4 lakh relief. The government will use the State Disaster Response Fund to support these efforts.
- Tamil Nadu has a long coastline where the humidity goes up during the summer months.
- Cities like Madurai, Tiruchy, Vellore, Namakkal, Dindigul and Krishnagiri have barren rocky hillocks which absorb and reflect heat even at nights.
- In April and May 2024, Erode and Karur recorded a temperature of above 40- degree Celsius on 31 and 26 days respectively.
- Vellore and Tirupattur recorded high temperatures on 23 and 21 days each