With the Lok Sabha elections being held during peak summer, the searing heat poses a challenge to candidates who are literally sweating it out as they criss-cross their constituencies in the central region.
The mercury came close to 40 degrees Celsius in Tiruchi and crossed the mark at K. Paramathi (40.2 degrees Celsius) in Karur on Monday. Thanjavur was relatively better at 38.5 degrees Celsius.
According to the weather report of the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, the maximum temperature in Tiruchi was 1.6 degrees Celsius above normal and 3.1 degrees Celsius above normal in Karur.