Thiruvananthapuram | Keralam Minister Sunny Joseph on Tuesday said that rising temperatures, resultant increase in power consumption and reduction in availability of electricity were the reasons for the power cuts in the state.

Joseph, the State Minister for Electricity, told reporters that temperatures were high across India, not just Keralam, and it was resulting in an increase in power consumption.

At the same time, due to a weak monsoon, the water level in the state's hydel power dams was low, leading to reduction in power generation.

There is also less power available for purchase from north Indian states due to shortage in coal for electricity generation in thermal power plants, he contended.

"In addition to this, the state has to return 500MW electricity per day that it had borrowed in March-April this year. All this is creating the current power crisis," he said.

According to the latest IMD data, Punalur in Kollam district recorded a maximum temperature of 36.2 degrees Celsius on Monday, a striking 4.3 degrees above normal for the station.

The reading comes in the first week of September, a period when Keralam would ordinarily still be under the influence of the southwest monsoon.

Kottayam was not far behind, recording 35.2 degrees Celsius, 4.4 degrees above normal - - the highest departure among the stations listed.

Palakkad recorded 34.2 degrees Celsius, 3.9 degrees above normal, while CIAL Kochi registered 34.1 degrees Celsius, 3.4 degrees above normal.

Thiruvananthapuram city recorded 33.8 degrees Celsius, which was 2.8 degrees above normal, while Vellanikkara also touched 33.8 degrees Celsius, 3.7 degrees above normal, said the data released on Monday evening.