No relief from intense heat in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha as mercury soars
Parts of the country are reeling under intense heat with the temperature rising to 43 to 46 degrees Celsius in many places, prompting the government to issue health warnings.
Intensely hot conditions prevailed in parts of Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The India Meteorological Department has said the ongoing heatwave spell in east and south peninsular India will continue until May 5-7 and abate thereafter.
“Maximum temperatures settled in the range of 43-46 degrees Celsius in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Vidarbha, Madhya Maharashtra and 40-43 degrees in parts of Gangetic West Bengal, Marathwada and north interior Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat,” the IMD bulletin read.
The weather office on Wednesday said above-normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of the country in May and a significantly high number of heatwave days expected over the northern plains, central region and adjoining areas of peninsular India.
April witnessed record-smashing maximum temperatures in east, northeast and southern peninsular India, prompting health warnings from government agencies and some states to suspend in-person classes in schools.
IMD data shows that heat waves this April were far worse than in 2023, the warmest year on record so far.
This trend is likely to continue in May, with around eight to 11 heatwave days predicted over south Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Marathwada and the Gujarat regions.
India witnessed two spells of heat waves in April – from April 5 to 7 and April 15 to 30.
The IMD attributed the prolonged heatwave spell over east, northeast and south peninsular India in April to the absence of thunderstorms and an anticyclone at lower levels over the west central Bay of Bengal and the adjoining eastern coasts of India.
This caused the sea breeze to cut off over Odisha and West Bengal on most days.