India is in the grip of an unprecedented heat wave and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that the current spell of heatwave may further intensify over the next five days, with temperatures touching 45 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country. Heatwave conditions are very likely over northwest and central India during the next five days, and over east India in the next two days, the IMD warned. 

According to experts quoted by news agency PTI, temperatures may even scale to 47 degrees Celsius in parts of northwest India. “A rise of about two degrees Celsius in the maximum temperature (is) very likely over most parts of northwest India during the next two days,” the IMD said.

The blistering heatwave sweeping through vast swathes of the country intensified on Thursday with the mercury crossing the 45-degree mark at several places.

Since the beginning of March there have been at least 26 heatwave days, and as many as four spells of heatwaves in a little over a month and a half, The Indian Express said. 

According to the health ministry, a heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C or more for plains, 37°C or more for coastal stations, and at least 30°C or more for hilly regions.

Delhi saw the hottest April day in 12 years at 43.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday. The IMD has issued an orange alert for the national capital on Friday, indicating heatwave conditions at many places and severe heatwave at isolated places. Suburban Gurugram, home to a lot of international companies,  logged an all-time high of 45.6 degrees Celsius on the same day, breaking the previous record of 44.8 degrees Celsius on April 28, 1979.

An orange alert has been issued for Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra for the next four days. Vidarbha in Maharashtra and west Rajasthan have consistently reported maximum temperatures in the range of 40 degrees Celsius to 45 degrees Celsius for the past two months.

The IMD uses four colour codes for weather warnings. Green means no action needed, yellow refers to watch and stay updated, orange means be prepared while red alert means take action.

IMD has said the impact of severe heat includes high temperature, increased likelihood of heat-related illness in people who are exposed to sun for a prolonged period doing heavy work, and vulnerable population like infants, senior citizens and people suffering from chronic illness. “Hence people should avoid heat exposure, wear lightweight and light-coloured cotton clothes and cover the head with a hat or umbrella,” the weather body said.

Amid the heatwave, India’s peak power demand in a day touched an all-time high of 204.65 GW on Thursday.

Large parts of India have been recording higher than normal temperatures since the last week of March, with weather experts attributing it to the absence of periodic light rainfall and thundershowers, typical for this time of the year, due to the lack of active western disturbances, The Indian Express said. 

India saw its warmest March since the IMD began keeping records 122 years ago amid a 71 per cent rain deficit.

(SAM)