Thiruvananthapuram | The Congress party on Tuesday urged the Kerala government to provide financial assistance to the families of those who lost their lives due to the heatwave in the state.

The state is facing the worst heatwave ever, and for the first time in its history, it has been included in the Meteorological Department's heatwave map, the Congress pointed out.

The opposition party also wanted the authorities to announce a special financial package for farmers whose crops have been destroyed due to the scorching heat and intense humidity.

Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly V D Satheesan sent a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan requesting him to take urgent steps in this regard.

"Many people died in different parts of the state due to the summer heat. Considering the heatwave as a natural disaster, the government should take immediate steps to provide financial assistance to the families of those who have succumbed to the intense heat," he said in the letter.

Construction workers, agricultural labourers, street vendors, fishermen, migrant workers, and so on are forced to work under the scorching sun to make ends meet, he pointed out.

The LoP wanted the state government to reschedule their working hours in such a way that their livelihood is not affected.

Farmers in the state are in dire straits as their crops have been destroyed and production has drastically come down, he said.

Especially mentioning the plight in the plantation sector, he said the production there has decreased by 25-50 per cent.

"A special package should be announced (to help) farmers to come out of this crisis," Satheesan said, adding that the drinking water shortage in the state is also acute.

The Congress party's demand came amidst heatwave conditions that continue to play havoc in several places in the state.

Authorities urged people not to venture out of the scorching heat and advised them to drink more water to keep themselves hydrated.