Precautionary measures advised amid heatwave

The Health Protection Agency has advised the public to take precautionary measures as temperatures soar toward the end of the dry season. 

In a statement Sunday, the HPA said the country was experiencing “extraordinarily hot days” and listed measures to prevent health problems. 

The HPA suggested staying hydrated, organising outdoor activities during cooler hours of the day, limiting exposure to direct sunlight during the hottest hours, and using ultraviolet eyewear and sun lotion.

The higher temperatures are related to the end of the hot northeastern monsoon, which ends in the first week of April, an official from the Maldives Meteorological Service told the Maldives Independent.

According to the met department, average temperatures for March exceeded 32 degree celsius. But relative to humidity and wind, it could feel as high as 43 degrees celsius.