Kerala is no longer safe from heat-related issues caused by ultraviolet (UV) rays, suggest the findings of a study that appeared in the journal Environmental Monitoring and Assessment.
The study by researcher Ninu Krishnan Modon Valappil in collaboration with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) observed higher variability of ultraviolet index (UVI) characteristics in the State, with more than 79% of the UV measurements falling in the very high and extreme UVI categories, suggesting the need for urgent measures to reduce the resultant health risks.
The UVI is a tool to quantify the potential harm caused by direct exposure to UV radiation. The spatial and temporal dynamics of daily UVI for a period of 18 years (2004–2022) over Kerala were statistically characterised in the study.