Met Department dismisses warning urging Coast residents to stay indoors as temperatures soar

Mombasa residents have been urged to stay indoors between 12pm and 3pm due to high temperatures that can result in dehydration and sunstroke. Photo/FILE

Kenya Meteorological Department has refuted warnings of a heat wave after a circular was issued on the same.
Deputy Director Peter Ambenje told Citizen TV the heat was "not out of the ordinary", dismissing the claims as "part of stories doing rounds on social media".
In the circular on Friday, Coast residents were urged to stay indoors between 12pm and 3pm due to high temperatures that can result in dehydration and sunstroke.
The circular termed heat waves "no joke" and noted that a dangerous temperature level can melt a candle placed outside a house.
"Due to the Equinox phenomenon that will affect the county in the next five days beginning Saturday, the temperature will fluctuate until 40 degrees Celsius," the circular explained.
Several measures were given to keep residents from harm.
"Everyone should be consuming about three litres of fluid every day. Monitor everyone’s blood pressure as frequently as possible as many may get heat strokes," they were told.
They were further asked to take cold showers, reduce meat consumption and increase fruit and vegetable intakes.
Another measure cited was placing two half-filled buckets of water in each room to keep temperatures down.
Assistant Director in charge of Forecasting Services,

Bernard Chanzu told the Star the highest temperatures were recorded only in January and February adding they were "above the average".
Msambweni doctor Fatma Harji said heatstrokes are likely to hit for the first time adding "there are no indicative symptoms".
According to weather patterns on Saturday, the highest temperature in Mombasa at 12 and 3 pm was 32 degrees Celsius.
The temperatures were expected to drop slightly in the evening to 30 degrees Celsius at 6pm.
On Sunday, temperatures will be as high as 32 degrees and low at 30 degrees.
In Nairobi on Saturday, the temperatures at 3 pm were expected to be as high as 28 degrees Celsius before dropping slightly at 6pm, with a record of 25 degrees Celsius.
On Sunday, the temperatures will be as high as 28 degrees Celsius with the lowest at 16 degrees.