Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad city recorded an average of 17 heat-related emergencies per day over the past seven days, according to EMRI 108 data. Officials, however, said there has been no major spike in severe heatstroke cases so far despite the mercury touching 44 degrees twice during the period.
Ahmedabad was the second hottest city in Gujarat on Wednesday after Rajkot, which recorded a temperature of 43 degrees Celsius.
An analysis of emergency calls showed that high fever was the most commonly reported heat-related complaint, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, dehydration, and other heat illnesses.
"The number of cases has increased in the past seven days compared to the beginning of the month, but we have not seen a sharp rise in serious heatstroke cases," said a senior EMRI official.
Doctors in the city said most heat-related ailments currently being reported are relatively mild and may not appear immediately after exposure to high temperatures. Symptoms of heat stress include stomach uneasiness, headache, muscle pain, and fatigue.
On Wednesday, Ahmedabad's maximum temperature dropped to 42.6 degrees from 44.3 degrees the previous day. The minimum temperature was 26.2 degrees, close to normal levels. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast the city's maximum temperature to hover around 43 degrees on Thursday. Weather officials attributed the prevailing conditions to multiple systems over the region, including an upper air cyclonic circulation over southwest Rajasthan and a north-south trough extending from north Punjab to southwest Rajasthan.
The IMD has predicted a gradual fall of 2 to 3 degrees in maximum temperatures across Gujarat over the next three days, after which no major change is expected. Inland parts of the state are likely to record temperatures between 40 and 43 degrees, while coastal areas of Saurashtra-Kutch may see temperatures between 35 and 39 degrees.
