Prayagraj: Residents of Sangam City faced severe heat on Friday as the district scorched at 45.2 degrees Celsius — the hottest not only in the state but also the country. The temperature was more than 4 degrees above normal.The minimum temperature settled at 23.4°C, offering no relief from the intense heat. Varanasi followed as the second hottest, with a maximum of 44.3°C and a minimum of 23.2°C.The scorching conditions have disrupted daily life, with school-going children among the worst affected. Parents have begun demanding closure of schools up to Class V as a precautionary measure amid rising heat stress.The impact of the heatwave is visible across the city. The ghats of Sangam wear a deserted look soon after sunrise, as people avoid venturing out during peak hours. So were the parks, which had very thin attendance. However, groups of young boys can still be seen visiting the riverbanks to cool off in the water. By late morning, roads and marketplaces appear largely empty, with residents preferring to remain indoors to escape the harsh sun.At the same time, there has been a noticeable surge in the sale of heat-protection items such as gamchas (cotton cloth), caps and sunglasses. Vendors dealing in green shade covers have also reported increased demand, as people look for ways to shield themselves from direct sunlight.In a display of community support, many residents and organisations have started offering free drinking water at major crossings and outside their homes to help passers-by cope with the extreme weather. Notably, the current spell ranks among the most intense in recent years, with the hottest April day since 2014 recorded on April 29, 2022. The continuing rise in temperatures has raised concerns of prolonged heatwave conditions in the coming days.
