Thiruvananthapuram: The India Meteorological Department has warned that several districts in Kerala are expected to come under the spell of a heatwave in the coming days.

The maximum temperature in the six districts of Kollam, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Thrissur, Kozhikode, and Kannur is likely to rise by two to three degrees Celsius on Monday.

Such a rise could take the mercury levels up to 40 degree Celsius in more than one district.

The average temperature in these districts usually lies within the range of 33 to 36 degree Celsuis.

A 33% drop in rain compared to the average rainfall and dry north-easterly wind are the reasons for the likely rise in temperature, K Santhosh, IMD Director, Thiruvananthapuram, said.

The IMD also predicted that there were chances of mild rain in the districts of Kottayam, Idukki, Kollam, and Pathanamthitta on March 15.

Meanwhile, Punalur in Kollam district registered the highest temperature in Kerala on Sunday with 38.7 degree Celsius.

Temperature (March 13, Sunday)

Punalur: 38.7 degrees Celsius

Vellanikkara in Thrissur: 38.4

Palakkad:37.6

Kannur: 36.9

Kottayam: 36.6

Alappuzha: 36

Nedumabassery airport, Kochi: 35.8

Kozhikode: 35.4

Punalur reports a case of sunstroke

A member of the Punalur Municipality was hit by a sunstroke on Sunday after the region registered the highest temperature in the state.

D Dinesan suffered burns on the neck and leg on the way back home from a tuition class.

He is the Ward Councillor representing the Gracing Block and the head of the PWD standing committee, at the Municipality. 

Heatwave conditions in other States too

Several other Indian states, including Gujarat, Rajasthan and Odisha are also experiencing severe heatwave conditions. The maximum temperature in the national capital settled at 31. 2 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season's average, on Saturday.