Five Karnataka districts going to polls face severe heat

Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) has issued a red alert to five districts -Bagalkot, Belagavi, Dharwad, Haveri and Koppal till May 9.

Despite sporadic rains in most parts of Karnataka, the 14 segments going to polls today are facing heat wave-like conditions, with maximum temperatures ranging between 38 and 44 degrees Celsius in most districts.

People wait in queues to cast their votes at a polling station during the 3rd phase of Lok Sabha polls, in Karnataka on Tuesday. (PTI)

Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena told PTI that they have factored in information on north Karnataka region witnessing higher than usual temperatures and have made all necessary arrangements to ensure that people are not deterred from coming out of their homes to vote.

“Fans and drinking water in the waiting areas as well as ambulances on standby are some of the arrangements made keeping the harsh weather in mind,” he added.

The maximum temperatures forecasted for the 14 constituencies: Chikkodi (39 degree Celsius), Belgaum (38), Bagalkot (43), Bijapur (43), Gulbarga (43), Raichur (43.2), Bidar (41.5), Koppal (43.2), Bellary (41), Haveri (35.4), Dharwad (39.8), Uttara Kannada (37), Davangere (39.5) and Shimoga (39).

Although Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for most of the 14 districts, Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) has issued a red alert to five --Bagalkot, Belagavi, Dharwad, Haveri and Koppal till May 9.