Uttarakhand's northern districts may get respite from the heatwave with predicted rain. Temperatures in Dehradun and Haridwar touched 42°C. Authorities are taking measures as heatwave conditions persist across large parts of India.
Respite Likely in Uttarakhand
People in parts of Uttarakhand can expect respite from the heat wave-like situation as the weather office has predicted a possibility of light to moderate rain in the northern districts of the state.
Director of the Meteorological Centre in Dehradun said the maximum temperature has been quite high over the past 2 days. "There has been a heat wave-like situation. In Dehradun and Haridwar, the temperature has been up to 40-42 degrees Celsius. Today, there is a possibility of light to moderate rain in the northern districts, especially in districts like Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh, and Bageshwar," he said.
"There is a possibility of light to moderate rain at some places there... There is a possibility of lightning and strong winds within the next 48 hours," he added.
People going outdoors are using umbrellas and covering their heads and faces to protect themselves from the heat.
Haridwar Administration on Alert
Haridwar District Magistrate Mayur Dixit said a review of the power situation was conducted in view of rising mercury levels. "The temperature has reached around 40 degrees. An alert has been issued regarding this, and all departments are working. The health department has been instructed to start emergency services at various places. A review of power cuts will also be conducted today, and if any issues are found anywhere, they will be fixed. Arrangements for water have been made at various places. For animals too, arrangements for water and fodder will be made at various places, so that no one faces any difficulty," he told ANI.
Heatwave Grips Gujarat
Gujarat is also facing gruelling weather conditions. Medical Officer of Health (MOH) of Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC), Jayesh L Vakani, urged people to stay indoors unless there is important work. "The temperature in Rajkot has increased to 42-43 degrees...No one should go out in the afternoon without any important work...Senior citizens and children, especially, should avoid going out," he told ANI.
Heatwave Conditions Across India
According to IMD, heat waves are a period of unusually high temperatures as compared to what is normally expected over a region. The temperatures at which Heat waves are declared differ from place to place based on the temperature climatology (historical temperatures) of that region. The impact of heat waves gets aggravated by supportive meteorological factors such as high humidity, high wind speed, duration of heat wave events.
Large parts of India continued to reel under heatwave conditions on Thursday, with temperatures crossing 45 degrees Celsius in several regions, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue Red and Orange alerts across multiple states while hospitals, civic bodies and local administrations intensified preparations to tackle heat-related illnesses. From Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan to Maharashtra, Telangana and Gujarat, people battled scorching temperatures and hot winds, while doctors urged citizens to remain indoors during peak afternoon hours and stay hydrated. (ANI)
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