Heatwave grips parts of India; mercury level expected to soar
Seering heatwave gripped parts of the country as mercury level in India has crossed the 40-degree Celsius mark.
States like Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha and Bihar are reeling under intense heatwave where the MeT department has warned of intense heat during the next few days.
Schools in Bihar’s Patna have been asked to revise their timings amid heatwave warning.
The temperature is expected to soar by two to three degree Celsius in the next two days in some states.
Jharkhand
Heatwave-like conditions are prevailing in major parts of Jharkhand with the mercury crossing the 40-degree Celsius mark.
Since no significant synoptic condition is prevailing, the maximum temperature may rise by two to three degree Celsius from the existing temperature in the next 48 hours, a weather official said.
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“Half of Jharkhand is reeling around 40 degree Celsius. The mercury may further rise by two to three degree Celsius in the next two days due to unrestricted flow of dry wind from Rajasthan and Central India,” said Abhishek Anand, in-charge of Ranchi Meteorological Centre.
“Parts of Jharkhand might face heatwave conditions from next week,” he said.
Maharashtra
At least 10 districts in Maharashtra have recorded maximum temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius in mid-April, with Chandrapur the hottest at 43.2 degrees and south Mumbai emerging the “coolest” at 31.6, as per IMD data
The hottest districts in the state with the highest mercury readings are: Chandrapur (43.2 degrees), Wardha (42.2), Amravati and Solapur (41.4), Nagpur (41), Parbhani (40.8), Yavatmal (40.5), Akola and Jalgaon (40.3), and Nanded (40.2).
All the other districts have recorded temperatures upwards of 31C, with high humidity levels in the coastal areas and dry conditions in the hinterlands.
Some districts like Pune, Satara and Parbhani received heavy to minor rains in the past 24 hours, but did not result in any appreciable changes in the maximum temperatures.
Bihar
With the summer heat soaring in Bihar, the mercury crossed 40 degrees Celsius at many places in the state and hit the 41.5 degrees in Patna.
The MeT department’s warning of intense heat during the next few days led the Patna district administration to direct all school authorities in the capital city to revise their timings.
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The administration has also issued guidelines to prevent incidences of heat stroke among students.
- Academic activities for all classes (including in pre-schools and anganwadi centers) prohibited after 11.45 am in all schools.
- Reschedule timings of academic activities in conformity of the order.
- The order will come into force from April 15
Rajasthan
Mercury soared in parts of Rajasthan on Friday with Sri Ganganagar being recorded as the hottest place in the arid state with a maximum temperature of 42.1 degrees Celsius.
According to the MeT department, the day temperature in the state at many places was recorded between 38 degree Celsius and 40 degree Celsius.
The weather would remain mainly dry at most places for the next three-four days during which the day temperatures are likely to increase by 1-2 degrees.
According to the weather department, a new western disturbance is likely to become active on April 18 as an impact of which light rains with thunderstorms are likely to occur at isolated places in Jodhpur, Bikaner and Ajmer divisions for a couple of days.
Odisha
In Odisha too, temperatures soared past 40 degrees Celsius for the fifth consecutive day in at least 25 places.
Baripada in the northern part of the state became the hottest place by recording 44 degrees Celsius.
While nine places recorded temperatures of 42 degrees Celsius or more, it was 41 degrees C in four places. Eleven other places reported a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius.
However, the IMD said that the state is likely to get a respite from the heat condition on Sunday.
The met office, in its evening bulletin, said that the heat wave condition is likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Angul, Sonepur, Boudh, and Deogarh.
