As the Northern part of India deals with the consistently soaring temperatures, the national capital of Delhi was reported to record the country’s highest temperature of 47.4 degrees Celsius on Monday. Taking note of the rising temperatures the India Meteorological Department (IMD) recently issued a severe heatwave red alert for several states like Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Chandigarh. It predicted that these severe weather conditions will persist for the next five days.
Subsequently, the IMD further warned the peole of the rising heatwave conditions in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Saurashtra, and Kutch on May 21.
पंजाब, हरियाणा-चंडीगढ़-दिल्ली, पश्चिम राजस्थान के कई हिस्सों, पूर्वी राजस्थान के कुछ हिस्सों, पश्चिम उत्तर प्रदेश और पश्चिम मध्य प्रदेश के अलग-अलग हिस्सों में 21 मई, 2024 को उष्ण लहर से लेकर गंभीर उष्ण लहर चलने की संभावना है तथा पूर्वी उत्तर प्रदेश, हिमाचल प्रदेश, उत्तराखंड, pic.twitter.com/7R2xQnDyyG
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 20, 2024
Southern States Brace for Heavy Rainfall
While the Northern states grapple with scorching heat, the states in the southern India are preparing for heavy rainfall. The IMD has issued a “red alert” for heavy rainfall in three districts in Kerala Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Idukki. This warning of extremely heavy rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday comes as a stark contrast to the weather conditions in the North. With continuous rain lashing in parts of Kerala, the state government has begun emergency operations across all districts due to potential landslides and the threat of impending epidemics.
Additionally, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal are reportedly expected to experience isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall. This heavy downpour prompted the IMD to issue an “orange alert” for these areas on Tuesday.
तमिलनाडु, पुडुचेरी एंवम् कराईकल में 20 और 21 मई 2024 को भारी से बहुत भारी वर्षा (115.5-204.5 मिमी) होने की संभावना है।#rainfallalert #weatherupdate #rain@moesgoi @DDNewslive @ndmaindia @airnewsalerts pic.twitter.com/60PIH5YS9C
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 20, 2024
The soaring scorching heat has not only impacted the people in terms of health but has also brought in several other consequences.
Heatwave Impact Across India
Delhi: Power Demand Surges
The soaring heat in Delhi has led to a record peak in power demand amongst the people for the month of May as per the officials from the power distribution company. The Delhi government has responded to these demands by instructing all private and government-aided schools to commence summer vacations immediately. The Directorate of Education has also mandated that all schools begin their summer break from May 11 to June 30 for this academic year.
Himachal Pradesh: School Timings Adjusted
The Himachal Pradesh State Education Department has also taken the opportuntity to modify the school timings for classes 1 to 12 within the state following a heatwave warning. Schools will now operate from 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM. However, the local authorities have been given the flexibility to adjust the timings based on specific conditions. Teachers and staff havel also been asked to be on alert and have been instructed to provide two breaks and ensure adequate water supply for students. The meteorological center in Shimla predicts that the heatwave will persist in isolated pockets of the state including Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Solan, Sirmaur, Kangra, and Shimla for the next four to five days.
Rajasthan: Heatwave Claims Life in Kota
In another update on the weather conditions and their impact on the people, it was recently reported that A 44-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh succumbed to the heatwave in Rajasthan’s Kota. The individual identified as Mahendra Kushwah was found near a hotel in Kota’s Dadwada on Sunday evening. According to the reports, the police believed that he died due to the extreme heat. Rajasthan continued to endure intense heat, with Pilani in Jhunjhunu district recording the highest temperature in the state at 46.6 degrees Celsius.
Jammu and Kashmir: Hottest Day of the Season in Jammu
Additionally, Jammu was reported to experience its hottest day of the season on Monday, with the temperature reaching 42.2 degrees Celsius, 3.9 degrees above the seasonal average. Authorities have adjusted school timings to provide relief to the students, with all government and private schools up to the higher secondary level now operating from 8 AM to noon.
Noida: Early Summer Break for Senior Students
Subsequently, the Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration has also announced early summer vacations for classes 9 to 12 in all schools in Noida and Greater Noida due to the severe heatwave. This decision was followed after the declaration recieved earlier, for students up to class 8. On Monday, Gautam Buddh Nagar recorded a maximum temperature of 45.6 degrees Celsius, with the IMD predicting continued heatwave conditions for the next four days.
