IMD Issues Heatwave Alert: Many areas of the country are battling severe heat. The situation is such that the mercury in Najafgarh, Delhi, crossed 47.4 degrees Celsius on Friday and it was the hottest place in the country. The mercury has crossed 45 degrees Celsius at 19 places in Rajasthan, 18 in Haryana, eight in Delhi and two places in Punjab. In such a situation, the India Meteorological Department has also dashed the hopes of people eagerly waiting for rain. The Meteorological Department has predicted severe heat wave in the plains of North-West India for the next five days from May 18. It has also said that heat wave may again blow in eastern and central India from Saturday.
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Along with this, the department has predicted heat wave conditions in some areas of Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat till May 21. At the same time, heat wave conditions have been predicted in Bihar till May 20, in Jharkhand on May 19 and 20, in northern Madhya Pradesh from May 18 to 21, in some areas of Bengal from May 18 to 20 and in some areas of Odisha on May 20 and 21.
Heat wave conditions are considered when the maximum temperature reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in plains, 37 degrees in coastal areas and 30 degrees Celsius in hilly areas and is at least 4.5 degrees Celsius above normal. If the mercury is more than 6.4 degrees above normal, a severe heat wave is declared.
The temperature in Sirsa also crossed 47 degrees
On Friday, the maximum temperature in Najafgarh reached 47.4 degrees Celsius and in Haryana’s Sirsa it reached 47.1 degrees Celsius. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data till 7:30 pm, Najafgarh was the hottest place in the country. In Delhi, the mercury was 46.5 degrees in Mungeshpur, 46.2 degrees in Ayanagar, 45.9 degrees in Pusa and Jafarpur, 45.8 degrees in Pitampura and 45.1 degrees in Palam.
At the same time, the temperature has increased in the lower and middle hills of Himachal and the maximum temperature in Una district of the state reached 43.2 degrees Celsius, which was the hottest area of the state.
The IMD has said in its forecast for Delhi that strong surface winds with a speed of 25 to 35 kmph are likely during the day on Saturday and the sky may remain mainly clear.
Red alert for western Rajasthan
The weather office has issued a red alert for western Rajasthan, stressing the need for “extreme caution for vulnerable people”.
The IMD has issued an orange alert for Haryana, Punjab, East Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat and expressed ‘high health concern’ for vulnerable people including infants, the elderly and those suffering from pre-existing diseases. The department has warned that people are likely to fall ill due to prolonged exposure to the sun or doing heavy work in the open.
The weather office had forecast in May that the northern plains and central India may experience more than normal number of days of heat wave.
North-western India is troubled by heat while south is facing rain
However, the Meteorological Department has predicted the continuation of rain with heavy to very heavy rains at different places in South India. The Meteorological Department has predicted extremely heavy rains at different places in Kerala on 20 and 21 May. At the same time, heavy rains may occur at different places of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal during May 18 to 21, Kerala and Mahe on May 18 and 19, South Interior Karnataka on May 20 and 21.
According to the department, during the last 24 hours, heavy to very heavy rains have been recorded at different places in Meghalaya, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. At the same time, heavy rains occurred at different places in Assam, Goa, coastal and south interior Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Southwest monsoon is expected to advance
Along with this, the Meteorological Department has informed that the southwest monsoon is expected to advance into the South Andaman Sea, some parts of the south-east Bay of Bengal and the Nicobar Islands from May 19.
