Two die of sunstroke as mercury soars
Kerala continued to wilt in the sweltering heat on Friday, with two deaths suspected to have been caused by heatstroke and two persons sustaining sunburn injuries. Palakkad recorded maximum temperature above 40 degrees Celsius for the fourth consecutive day.
A 65-year-old man is suspected to have died of heatstroke at Manatti in Thimiri village of Chapparappadavu grama panchayat in Kannur on Friday. The deceased was identified as Joseph, alias Joy Vaiiya Karot of Thadikadavu. A coconut plucker, he reportedly fell down from a coconut palm around 12 noon. He was immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital at Vellad where he was declared dead. The police and health officials said the body had marks of sunburn. The body was shifted to the Pariyaram Medical College Hospital.
Officials at the Sate Disaster Management Authority said they were awaiting the post-mortem report to ascertain the cause of death.
In Kottayam, one person has died of sunstroke at Kaduthuruthy on Friday. According to the police the incident was reported from Ezhumanthuruth, one of the islets in Vembanad Lake, coming under Kallara panchayat. The person has been identified as Sabu, 43, an inland fisherman. He had gone for fishing in the nearby polder and the body was noticed by local people. His body had burn injuries all over. District Collector Swagath Bhandari said it has been confirmed that the death was on account of sunstroke. Two cases of sunburn injuries were reported from Pullingome and Peravur in Kannur. The injuries were not serious. The Labour Commissioner has issued an order regulating the working hours for manual labourers up to May 15 in view of the rising temperature. Day shift workers will have interval from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Their working hours will adjusted for eight hours from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. While the morning shift will end at 11 a.m., the evening shift will start at 3 p.m.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department has issued a warning that heavy rain was likely at isolated places in Kerala on May 3.
