Heatwave to continue for five days in most parts of India, IMD warns

Almost the entire India, barring the southern peninsula and the North East, will be under an intense spell of a heatwave for the next few days, the India Meteorological Department warned on Thursday, noting that many weather stations have already recorded more than 45 degree Celsius.

While eastern India is likely to receive relief after three days, the heatwave will be abated in the northwest and central India with the arrival of a strong western disturbance—a storm originating in the Mediterranean—around May 2.

The absence of rain for two months, coupled with hot westerly winds coming from the desert areas of Rajasthan, is behind the heatwave,” IMD scientist R K Jenamani told DH.

Allahabad logged a maximum temperature of 45.9 degree Celsius while Delhi (Safdarjung) registered 43.5 degree Celsius, which is the second-highest temperature recorded in the past 62 years and the highest in the past 12 years.

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One of the 13 weather stations in Delhi recorded a maximum of 46 degree Celsius too and the temperature might rise further, at least by a degree, says an IMD official.

In the past two months, vast swaths of western and northern India witnessed four heatwaves, with the first one striking between March 11 and 19, followed by a prolonged one between March 22 and April 12. Subsequently, there was a short one that started on April 17 and lasted till April 20.

The fourth one began in Saurashtra and Kutch around April 24 and has now spread to the northwest and central India.

March, this year was the third hottest since 1901 with the average maximum temperature at 32.65 degree Celsius as against the normal temperature of 31.24 degrees.

The early heatwaves have impacted 15 states and the Union territories (as of April 24), according to the IMD data. Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have suffered the most with 25 heatwave and severe heatwave days each during this period.

Read | Massive heat wave affecting people’s health, crops

The weather bureau has issued an orange alert for Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and parts of Maharashtra for the next few days. There is an orange alert for Delhi as well. “While there are reports on how the heatwaves are impacting the wheat crop, there is no assessment on other horticulture crops and mangoes,” said Jenamani.

The IMD said the heatwave could lead to "moderate" health concerns for infants, elderly people and those with chronic diseases.

"People should avoid heat exposure, wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose cotton clothes and cover the head with a piece of cloth, a hat or an umbrella," it said. “There is an increased likelihood of heat-illness symptoms in people who are either exposed to the sun for a prolonged period or doing heavy work.”

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