Overview
- Kerala’s health department, which issued the alert Friday, activated the Heat Health Action Plan, opened heatstroke clinics in major hospitals, and strengthened surveillance of heat illness.
- Officials flagged a hazardous UV window from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., urging people to avoid direct sun, reschedule outdoor work to cooler hours, and use hats, umbrellas, sunglasses, sunscreen, and loose light cotton clothing.
- Vulnerable groups including children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with chronic illnesses were told to stay indoors during peak hours and never be left in parked vehicles.
- Guidance stressed steady hydration even without thirst, favoring water and traditional cooling drinks such as buttermilk, salted rice gruel, and lemon water while limiting sugary and fizzy beverages.
- Medical experts warned that intense UV can damage skin and eyes, weaken immune defenses, and in severe cases raise cancer risk by harming cellular DNA.