Schools in Guwahati to remain shut for four days due to extreme heat

The district administration issued the order after several schools in Guwahati and adjoining areas reported that children were falling sick or fainting due to extreme heat conditions.

"Based on the reports received from Head of the Institutions of different schools under Kamrup Metro regarding various incidents of ill-health and fainting of students due to excessive heat and dehydration and with due approval from District Commissioner, Kamrup Metro, it has been decided that all Govt/Provincialized/ Private schools functioning under Kamrup Metro district are to remain close from 24th to 27 September 2024 due to excessive heat and rising temperature in the district," an official notification stated.

"This decision has been taken in order to safeguard the students from the ill-effects of exposure to excessive heat and thereby, ensuring the health and well-being of the students," it read.

Meanwhile, residents of Guwahati city found some relief from the heat on Monday as the city received a spell of moderate rainfall. The Met Department forecasted light to moderate rain in different parts of the state.

Director of Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Guwahati, Sanjay Shaw earlier said, "In the current month, the highest temperature in Guwahati reached 38 degrees Celsius for at least three days (on September 7, 19 and 20). In September last year also, Assam faced a similar kind of weather condition when the mercury reached 38.2 degrees Celsius in Guwahati."

"For the last 10 years beginning in 2014, the state has witnessed extreme heat conditions in September. In 2014, the highest temperature recorded in September was 36.4 degrees Celsius in Guwahati. It maintained the same trend this year... In 2022, the highest temperature was recorded as 37 degrees Celsius in the city," he added.

The all-time high temperature recorded for Guwahati so far is 38.2 degrees Celsius which was witnessed in September last year.