Step out at your own risk! IMD issues heatwave warning for country - 10 points

New Delhi: India is suffering from extreme weather, with a blistering heatwave sweeping through large parts of the country. On Thursday (April 28), several places recorded a temperature of above 45 degrees, with the met department predicting the continuation of very hot days over the next few days. Powercuts have added to people's woes. Here are some key developments about the weather:

NCR Boiling: Delhi, Gurgaon swelter!

Gurugram logged an all-time high of 45.6 degrees Celsius, breaking the previous record of 44.8 degrees Celsius on April 28, 1979. Its neighbour, the capital Delhi, saw the hottest April day in 12 years at 43.5 degrees Celsius. The national capital recorded a maximum temperature of 43.7 degrees Celsius on April 18, 2010.

Mercury soars above 45

The intense heatwave scorched Allahabad (45.9 degrees Celsius) in Uttar Pradesh; Khajuraho (45.6 degrees Celsius), Nowgong (45.6 degrees Celsius), and Khargone (45.2 degrees Celsius) in Madhya Pradesh; Akola (45.4 degrees Celsius), Bramhapuri (45.2 degrees Celsius) and Jalgaon (45.6 degrees Celsius) in Maharashtra and Jharkhand's Daltonganj (45.8 degrees Celsius).

Eastern India sweats: Summer vacations preponed in Bengal

Maximum temperatures recorded in six districts in West Bengal were at least five degree Celsius above normal, weather officials said, reports Reuters, with the lack of rains in state capital Kolkata adding to its worries. Bengal has announced summer school breaks from next week, days ahead of schedule. In its neighbouring state Odisha, people have set up stalls at prominent public places to offer water to those passing by.

Sharp spike in power demand leading to loadsheddings

The leap in power demand has left India scrambling for coal, the dominant fuel used in electricity generation in the country. Coal inventories are at the lowest pre-summer levels in at least nine years. Peak-power demand in India surged to a record high on Thursday and is seen rising by as much as 8% next month, the power ministry said, reports Reuters. Electricity supply fell short of demand by 1.88 billion units, or 1.6%, during the first 27 days of April, the worst monthly shortfall in over six years, according to a Reuters analysis of data from the federal grid regulator POSOCO. Power cuts in five states, including Rajasthan and Haryana in the north and Andhra Pradesh in the south, were the worst in over six years, the data POSOCO showed. With power cuts showing an increasing trend, April shortages could exceed the large cuts implemented in January 2016 during a previous shortfall in power supply. Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh have reportedly restricted industrial activity this month as household air conditioning demand peaked.

No respite soon, says IMD

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the spell of heatwave will persist over northwest and central India for the next five days and over east India for the next three days. According to weather experts, temperatures may even leap to 47 degrees Celsius in parts of northwest India, reported PTI. "A maximum temperature of 45 degrees Celsius is normal at places like Rajasthan's Churu, Barmer, Bikaner, and Sri Ganganagar, but 45-46 degrees Celsius in the plains of north India by April-end is quite unusual," independent meteorologist Navdeep Dahiya was quoted by the agency. A severe heatwave is declared if the maximum temperature crosses the 47-degree mark.

The days ahead 

Rise by about 2°C in maximum temperatures very likely over most parts of Northwest India during next 2 days and no significant change thereafter, says IMD. It adds that no significant change in maximum temperatures is very likely over most parts of East India during first half of the week (April 28 to May 4, 2022) and a fall by about 2-3°C thereafter. The Met department says no significant change in maximum temperatures is very likely over the rest of the country. Heat Wave conditions in isolated pockets over West Rajasthan during April 28-30 April is expected, with severe heatwave conditions on May 1-2.

Orange alert issued in several areas

An orange alert has been issued for Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra for the next four days. 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. 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. While northwest India saw at least four western disturbances in March and April, they were not strong enough to cause a significant change in weather, said Mahesh Palawat, Vice President (Meteorology and Climate Change), Skymet, a private weather forecasting agency, as per PTI report.

Duststorm to hit some areas

Duststorms are very likely over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on 30th April, IMD said in a statement.

Health concerns: IMD asks to take precautions

The unprecedented heat puts millions of blue-collar workers, including construction and farm labourers and those working on factory shop floors, at great risk. Sunstrokes have claimed thousands of Indian lives over the years. The IMD said the heatwave could lead to "moderate" health concerns for vulnerable people such as infants, the elderly and people with chronic diseases." Hence people should avoid heat exposure, wear lightweight and light-coloured cotton clothes and cover the head with a hat or umbrella," it said. 

Dileep Mavalankar, Director, Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar (IIPHG), said, "People need to watch out for IMD advisories, stay indoors, keep themselves hydrated and rush to the nearest health centre if they feel moderate signs of heat-related illness."

Heatwave: Breaking records!

India saw its warmest March since the IMD began keeping records 122 years ago amid a 71 per cent rain deficit. Having recorded three prolonged heatwave spells, it could be one of the hottest April in the history of the country

(With Agency inputs)