Orange alert issued for northwest India
NEW DELHI: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Delhi-ncr and the plains of northwest India over continued heatwave conditions until May 1.
“There has been no significant rainfall since Feb.25. In between, on April 14 and April 21, there were dust storms in Rajasthan and Haryana but there was no significant rain. Hence the long dry spell has resulted in high temperatures,” senior IMD scientist RK Jenamani told mediapersons.
A Western Disturbance on May 2 will bring in some relief for northwest and central India, he said.
Asked if this month’s maximum temperatures for the entire country were creating any record, Jenamani said: “April 2010 was the hotest till date for all India.”
“This year, even when northwest India and large parts of central India are witnessing extreme heat, the northeast region, Kerala, large parts of Tamil Nadu are experiencing heavy rainfall. So, we have to wait till April 30 to see how it averages out.”
In an advisory, the IMD said that under the influence of another fresh Western Disturbance likely to affect northwest India from May 2, light/ moderate isolated/scatered rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm/lightning is likely over the Western Himalayan Region during May 2-4.
“Because of this, isolated light rainfall is likely over plains of northwest India during May 3 and 4.” For now, heatwave conditions will prevail over large parts of India.
The IMD has predicted heatwave conditions over northwest and central India during next four days and over east India during next two days and it will abate thereater.
Heat wave conditions will prevail in isolated pockets over west Rajasthan during April 28-30 with severe heatwave conditions on May 1-2; heat wave conditions in some/isolated parts over Vidarbha, west Utar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana-chandigarh, Delhi & east Rajasthan during next five days; east Utar Pradesh May 1, Bihar, Jharkhand, interior Odisha, Chhatisgarh & Gangetic West Bengal
April 30 and Telangana till May 1.
Maximum temperatures recorded in six districts in West Bengal were at least 5°C above normal, weather officials said, with the lack of rains in state capital Kolkata adding to its worries.
People in Odisha state in the east set up stalls at prominent public places to offer water to those passing by.