Scorchers to linger till weekend

The scorching weather sweeping the country for the last 15 days, taking dozens of lives, will persist for five more days, as weathermen predict the monsoon will not arrive before June 9.

Such a delay occurred once before in 1972 - the only incident in the last 50 years - when the monsoon delayed for 18 days, met office sources said.

"This year the monsoon has delayed for one week in Kerala, the Southern State of India, where it sets first. After getting set in Kerala, it will take one or two days to reach in the country," said Arzumand Habib, the deputy director of the met office.

She added, "The westerly is so strong in the system that the monsoon is unable to get set."

The delay underscores significant changes in weather patterns, sources said. In 1960, the system was totally the opposite of the current situation, with the monsoon setting in by May 14, 16 days earlier than usual.

Usually the monsoon sets in Kerala on June 1, taking one or two days to reach in the country. But it is yet to set in Kerala, and weathermen anticipate it will arrive in a day or two.

Met office sources said the rain occurring in some parts of the country is not due to the monsoon, but to westerly wind.

However, the met office forecasted that the temperature will come down and that rain may occur in different places of Rajshahi, Dhaka, Sylhet, Khulna and Barisal and Chittagong divisions.

They also forecasted that the ongoing heat sweeping over Rajshahi, Faridpur, Patuakhali, Ishurdi and several other places of Khulna division will go down.

The highest temperature persisted yesterday in Satkhira, recorded at 38.8 degrees Celsius, while the temperature in the capital was recorded as 34 degrees Celsius.

Our Khulna Correspondent reports that the heat wave, accompanied by frequent load shedding of electricity, has disrupted the normal life of the public.

Khulna City experienced day temperatures of 38.8 degrees Celsius yesterday. City dwellers offered special prayers at all mosques on Friday, as well as today, for rains to bring relief from the heat wave.

The heat wave in the city has had an adverse impact on economic activities of the public. The supply of fishes and vegetables to all markets in the city declined sharply, causing prices to rise.

A drought has threatened many crops, including jute, in the neighbouring upazilas of Khulna district. Citizens are also in the grip of a severe crisis of pure drinking water, reportedly due to a fall in the level of underground water.

Our Dinajpur correspondent reports that, up to Friday noon, the heat wave claimed 10 lives, including an under-trial prisoner at the Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, and caused several others to become sick.

The number of deaths of poultry and domestic animals will swell if the hot spell persists, sources said.

The heat has also been hampering the harvesting of paddy, as labourers are unable to stay in the crop fields for long under the blazing sun.