• Govt. recommends safety precautions
• Heat wave for two more months
• Water shortage looms over Colombo

The ongoing warm weather affecting 16 districts has been fluctuating between caution and extreme caution levels over the past few days, with temperatures recorded at between 27-32 and 32-41 degrees Celsius for each level, respectively. The public too faces various health implications given the warm weather. Water consumption too has increased across the island, and due to the ongoing drought in five districts, some areas face drinking water shortages. As of 4 March, five districts were experiencing the dry weather severely, with drought settling in. So far, 39,801 persons from 10,866 families have been affected by the ongoing drought. According to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), drinking water is currently distributed to the Divisional Secretariat (DS) divisions of Ruwanwella, Deraniyagala, Galigamuwa, Kegalle, Aranayaka, and Warakapola of the Kegalle District and the DS divisions of Millaniya, Mathugama, and Horana of the Kalutara District. Heat index Department of Meteorology Forecasting and Early Warning Division Deputy Director Shiromani Jayawardena stated that the temperature readings in the heat index are calculated by using the relative humidity and maximum temperature, as well as the condition felt by your body. Therefore, there is a possibility of a difference in temperatures between the regular temperature reading and the heat index reading. “Between 5-14 April, the sun directly rises above Sri Lanka, and since we are nearing the end of the northeast monsoon, there is little to no rain experienced around the country. The southwest monsoon will commence towards the end of May, and the time period in between is considered to be the inter-monsoon period, which spans from early March through to the later part of May during which time the hot weather conditions would expand across all 25 districts due to a drop in winds and rains,” Jayawardena added. During the inter-monsoon season, the wind speed drops drastically and creates humid weather, which in turn increases the heat that is felt by our bodies. According to Jayawardena, this condition eases off towards the end of May. However, during the inter-monsoon period, the island might experience thundershowers which would ease the humid weather conditions. “With the global temperature increasing, Sri Lanka too is experiencing warm weather conditions and in addition to that, the sea temperatures around the island too have increased during the months of January and February. Meanwhile, the temperatures around main cities have increased and the ever-increasing concrete buildings have become the biggest contributors towards increasing temperatures in these cities,” Jayawardena explained. Concrete jungle Meanwhile, the Western Central Regional Support Centre (RSC) of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) has identified that Colombo city would face a water shortage in the coming weeks with the increase in consumption of water due to the warm weather and the rapid development that is taking place. “Due to the ongoing development projects scheduled to add more hotels, residential apartments, and other commercial properties, we see an increase in demand for water supply in the greater Colombo area and its suburbs. “At present, the city is supplied with 288,000 cubic metres of water on a daily basis and soon that amount too would increase,” NWSDB Western Central RSC Assistant Manager A.K. Kapuruge informed The Sunday Morning. Kapuruge further noted that once the Kelani Right Bank Water Treatment Plant Project is completed, it would add a further 50,000 cubic metres of water to the overall supply. Hydration crucial The heat experienced at present is very different compared to the temperatures of 40-50 years ago, Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MoH) Director –Environment, Occupational Health, and Food Safety Division Dr. Thilak Siriwardana noted. A lot of human-led activity has caused the heat to increase as they have cleared forests for development purposes. The entire world is feeling the impact of global warming and although people cannot prevent global warming at present, the public could surely take necessary measures to prevent any health implications that it could cause. “The first step is to stay hydrated. As health professionals, we urge the public to have water bottles with them at all times. Moreover, when you are drinking water, it is always better to keep a tab of your water intake. One can easily observe whether they are efficiently hydrated by observing the colour of the urine they pass. If the urine is a darker colour, you might need to drink more water,” Dr. Siriwardana stated. Health implications In many countries during warm weather conditions, deaths are reported due to heat-related health implications. The groups that are most vulnerable to such conditions are infants, elderly persons, persons with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and persons who work outdoors for extended periods of time during the day, including farmers, street vendors, traffic police officers, and construction workers. MoH Head of the Environment, Occupational Health, and Food Safety Division Dr. Inoka Suraweera stated: “Due to the prevailing weather, some of us might experience profuse sweating; it is a natural reaction of our body to keep our body temperature under control. However, with the high levels of humidity we are experiencing, that process gets hindered, which makes it difficult to maintain the body temperature.” Dr. Suraweera further noted that profuse sweating during hot weather will also release the much-needed minerals and water from a person’s body as well as cause fatigue, while some would also experience fainting episodes. In addition to that, people could also develop a heat rash or heat stress and would experience muscle cramps due to excessive sweating that creates an imbalance in the mineral content in our bodies. “While staying hydrated is important during this period, we also advise the public to not consume too much sweetened or carbonated beverages, as it could cause further dehydration. Therefore, it is best if you just stick to drinking water and when you have to walk outside, it is advisable to carry an umbrella to shield yourself from the scorching sun or wear a wide-brimmed hat. The public should also consider wearing cotton clothing and light-coloured clothes during daytime,” Dr. Suraweera added.