Mercury crosses 50°C in north, central India, heavy rain in Northeast kills 35

Many parts of northern and central India were in the grip of extreme heatwave conditions on Tuesday with the mercury touching 50 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan’s Churu and Haryana’s Sirsa and settling nine notches above normal in Delhi.

At least three weather stations in Delhi recorded maximum temperatures of 49 degrees Celsius or more. Mungeshpur and Narela in Delhi clocked 49.9 degrees, followed by Najafgarh at 49.8 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

This was the highest maximum temperature recorded in the capital this season.

“Today, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions prevailed over most parts of Rajasthan, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, in many parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and in isolated pockets of Bihar and Himachal Pradesh,” the weather department said.

Churu in Rajasthan was the hottest place in the country with a maximum temperature of 50.5 degrees Celsius, followed by Sirsa-AWS in Haryana (50.3 degrees Celsius), Mungeshpur and Narela (49.9 degrees Celsius), Najafgarh (49.8 degrees Celsius), Sirsa (49.5 degrees Celsius), Ganganagar in Rajasthan (49.4 degrees Celsius), Pilani and Phalodi in Rajasthan and Jhansi (49 degrees Celsius).

The scorching heat prompted the Haryana government to advance summer vacations in all state-run and private schools to Tuesday.

The IMD has said respite from the heatwave conditions could be in sight after May 30.

“Expect relief from the heat wave in northwest and central parts of the country after three days due to a western disturbance and moisture incursion from the Arabian Sea. There could be some thunderstorm activity in northwest India and rain in the western Himalayan region,” IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said.

HEAVY RAIN DUE TO CYCLONE REMAL KILLS 35

Heavy rain and thunderstorms triggered by Cyclone Remal left at least 35 people dead in northeastern states, including Mizoram, the worst-hit, with dozens still missing.

Hundreds were forced to take shelter in relief camps as rain destroyed homes and knocked down power lines.

At least 25 people, including 14 in a stone quarry collapse, were killed in Mizoram on Tuesday due to landslides and incessant rain in the aftermath of cyclone ‘Remal’, the state disaster management authority said.

In Assam, four people were killed, and 18 others injured due to heavy rain and strong winds in the aftermath of the cyclone.

In Nagaland, four deaths and damage to more than 40 houses were reported, while two persons died and over 500 others were injured as downpours wreaked havoc in Meghalaya.

The cyclone made landfall in Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal on Sunday around midnight, with wind speeds reaching up to 135 kmph across the coast.