Thiruvananthapuram, April 25: The Kerala government has launched a sweeping, multi-pronged heatwave response after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan chaired a high-level online review meeting on Saturday, April 25, directing authorities to urgently safeguard public health as temperatures continue to surge across the state. The meeting comes amid a suspected second sunstroke-related fatality this season, raising alarm among health officials and disaster management agencies.

Emergency Measures Rolled Out Across the State

The review meeting directed all concerned departments to ensure the immediate availability of drinking water, Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS), and first-aid facilities for sunstroke at high-footfall public spaces including markets, bus stands, and transport hubs. Temporary shaded shelters are to be erected across these locations to provide immediate relief to commuters and daily-wage workers most exposed to the heat.

Health workers, local body representatives, and voluntary organisations have been tasked with coordinating ground-level operations. Water distribution points will be expanded along roadsides, junctions, and transport nodes, with community groups encouraged to distribute drinking water, buttermilk, and fruits like watermelon.

Suspected Second Heatwave Death Reported in Kollam

In a grim development, an 85-year-old man was found dead in his farmland in Kollam district on Saturday morning. Officials suspect it could be the second sunstroke-related death in Kerala this season, though formal confirmation is still awaited from medical authorities. The incident underscores the lethal potential of extreme heat, particularly for elderly agricultural workers with prolonged outdoor exposure.

This comes amid a broader national pattern of escalating heat-related fatalities, with India Meteorological Department (IMD) data consistently showing that heat stress is among the deadliest climate-linked hazards in South Asia. Kerala, despite its coastal geography and relatively higher humidity, has seen unusually intense heat events in recent years, a trend climate scientists attribute to accelerating climate change.

Restrictions on Public Events and Traffic Management

Authorities plan to impose strict restrictions on public gatherings, including cultural programmes and sports events, during peak heat hours when active heatwave warnings are issued by the IMD. District Collectors have also been asked to explore reducing traffic signal wait times in congested urban areas to minimise pedestrians' and motorists' heat exposure — a notably granular intervention that reflects the seriousness of the administration's approach.

The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has been directed to ensure uninterrupted power supply as cooling demand spikes. Simultaneously, the Water Authority and Irrigation Department have been ordered to take urgent steps to guarantee adequate drinking water supply, complemented by a public campaign promoting rainwater harvesting.

Long-Term Climate Resilience Infrastructure Planned

Beyond immediate relief, the government announced a series of structural interventions. Anganwadis and primary health centres will be progressively converted into heat-resilient buildings with improved ventilation and passive cooling features. Select hospitals will establish dedicated Heat & Burn clinics to handle heat-related medical emergencies more efficiently.

The state is also set to expand its climate monitoring systems at the ward level, collecting granular data on temperature, rainfall, and humidity to sharpen local preparedness. The Disaster Management Authority's 'Kavacham' early warning system will be strengthened, with focus on maintaining functional sirens and alert infrastructure across vulnerable zones.

The government has additionally issued public advisories on snake safety and water hygiene, citing heightened risks during extreme heat when snakes seek cooler environments near human habitation and waterborne diseases spike due to depleted water sources.

Local Bodies to Draft Heat Action Plans

With forecasts pointing to further temperature escalation in the coming weeks, all local self-government bodies have been directed to prepare comprehensive heat action plans, backed by State Disaster Mitigation Fund allocations. This decentralised approach mirrors best practices from cities like Ahmedabad, which pioneered India's first municipal heat action plan following a deadly 2010 heatwave that killed over 1,000 people.

Notably, Kerala's Heat Action Plan framework has been evolving since the state recorded anomalous heat events in 2023 and 2024, but critics argue implementation at the grassroots level has remained inconsistent. The current directive to collect ward-wise climate data and activate the Kavacham system signals a more institutionalised approach this year. As temperatures are projected to remain above normal through May 2025, the effectiveness of these measures will be closely watched by both citizens and climate policy observers nationwide.