The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning on Wednesday of an impending severe heatwave across several states in North India, including Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh. The warning comes after a scorching May 21, when maximum temperatures soared beyond 45 degrees Celsius in these regions.
According to IMD's weather bulletin, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are expected in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh until May 25. Additionally, Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, and parts of Madhya Pradesh will also experience heatwave conditions until May 25, while Maharashtra is forecasted to face similar conditions until May 24.
In a weather report, IMD said, " Light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over North & South 24 Parganas, East Medinipur districts of West Bengal and Balasore district of Odisha on 25th May."
Moreover, heavy rainfall also has been predicted for Mizoram, Tripura, and Manipur on May 25. The Met department has predicted heavy rainfall for Karnataka until May 23, Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal on May 24, and Kerala on May 25.
The weather report further states, “Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal during 21st-23rd; Kerala & Mahe on 21st & 24th and South Interior Karnataka on 21st May 2024 with isolated extremely heavy rainfall over Kerala on 22nd & 23rd May 2024."
The weather department forecasted thunderstorms accompanied by light to moderate rainfall, lightning, and gusty winds for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana until May 26.
Furthermore, a wet spell has been predicted for Goa, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh on May 22 and for Chhattisgarh until May 25. Considering the north-eastern states, light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds is likely in West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura until May 26.
Amid soaring temperatures in North India, the national capital's maximum temperature reached 47.4 degrees Celsius, the highest in the country, on Monday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a severe heatwave red alert for Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Chandigarh, predicting that the heatwave to severe heatwave conditions will persist over the next five days.
On May 23, heatwave conditions are also expected in some places in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Saurashtra, and Kutch.
Meanwhile, in the southern part of India, three districts in Kerala – Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Idukki – are under an extremely heavy rainfall warning, with the IMD issuing a “red alert” for Tuesday and Wednesday. Amid continuous rainfall in several parts of the state, the state government on Monday stated that emergency operations in all districts are active due to the possibility of landslides and epidemics.
Additionally, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal are very likely to experience isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.5 mm) on Tuesday, the weather agency said, issuing an “orange alert.”
In response to the heatwave, the Delhi government instructed private and government-aided schools that had not yet commenced summer vacations to do so immediately. The Directorate of Education issued a circular mandating that all schools begin their summer break from May 11 to June 30 for this academic year.
Himachal Pradesh: School timings changed
The Himachal Pradesh State Education Department has decided to adjust school timings for classes 1 to 12 following a heatwave warning issued for several districts. Due to the extremely hot weather, a circular has been issued to change school hours to 7.30 am to 1.00 pm. Local authorities can make decisions based on their specific situations.
All staff and teachers have been placed on alert, with instructions to provide two breaks and ensure adequate water arrangements for students. According to the meteorological centre in Shimla, the heatwave is expected to persist in isolated pockets within the districts of Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Solan, Sirmaur, Kangra, and Shimla for the next four to five days.
Rajasthan: Man dies due to heatwave in Kota
An Uttar Pradesh man died due to a heatwave in Rajasthan's Kota, news agency PTI reported, citing police sources. The body of 44-year-old Mahendra Kushwah, a resident of Hathras in Uttar Pradesh, was discovered near a hotel in Kota's Dadwada on Sunday evening. Police said that Kushwah appeared to have succumbed to the heatwave on Sunday.
The intense heat persisted in Rajasthan, with the Jaipur Meteorological Centre noting that Pilani, located in Jhunjhunu district, was the hottest place in the state, reaching a maximum temperature of 46.6 degrees Celsius.
Jammu and Kashmir: Season's hottest day recorded in Jammu
Jammu experienced its hottest day of the season on Monday, with the maximum temperature reaching 42.2 degrees Celsius, an official reported. In response to the “extremely hot weather conditions”, authorities adjusted school timings to provide relief for students.
According to PTI, a spokesperson from the met office noted that the maximum temperature in Jammu and Kashmir's winter capital was 3.9 degrees above the seasonal average.
The Directorate of School Education in Jammu ordered a change in school timings for the division's summer zones due to the extreme heat. Starting Monday, all government and private (recognized) schools up to the higher secondary level will now operate from 8 am to noon.
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Noida: Summer vacation declared for classes 9-12 in all schools
On Monday, the Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration announced summer vacations for students in classes 9 to 12 at all schools in Noida and Greater Noida due to the severe heatwave conditions.
Summer holidays for students in classes up to 8 had already been declared in the district. The IMD reported that Gautam Buddh Nagar reached a maximum temperature of 45.6 degrees Celsius on Monday and predicted that the heatwave would continue for the next four days.
