Holiday for educational institutions in Kollam on Friday amid heatwave alert

As temperatures are likely to rise up to 40°C, the District Collector has declared a holiday for all educational institutions, including professional colleges, in Kollam on Friday. The order will not apply to scheduled public examinations and interviews.

Additionally, the Women and Child Development Department has decided to suspend preschool activities at Anganwadis across the state for a week due to rising temperatures. Other activities at Anganwadi centres will continue as usual. Supplementary nutrition for children will be delivered to their homes during this period.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heatwave warning for districts including Kollam, Palakkad and Thrissur, based on local temperature monitoring. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has advised strict safety precautions across all districts in view of the rising heat. It noted that Kerala’s high humidity, being a coastal state, significantly increases the felt temperature beyond the recorded levels. The IMD added that for an official heatwave declaration, such conditions must persist for at least two consecutive days.

According to forecasts, maximum temperatures on Thursday and Friday are expected to reach around 41°C in isolated parts of Palakkad, 40°C in Kollam and Thrissur, 38°C in Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Kozhikode, 37°C in Alappuzha, Malappuram, Kannur and Kasaragod, and 36°C in Thiruvananthapuram.

On April 25 and 26, temperatures are likely to remain high, with isolated areas in Palakkad touching 40°C, Kollam 39°C, Thrissur and Kottayam 38°C, most other districts around 37°C, and Thiruvananthapuram about 36°C. These values are 3–5°C above normal.