Heat wave sweeps India, more blazing days ahead (Roundup)

Heat wave conditions prevailed in several parts of the country on Friday with the temperature soaring several notches above the season's average, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had little comfort to offer, saying the searing heat conditions will continue for the next few days.

According to the IMD, the heat wave will continue in Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Marathwada, Vidarbha, Telangana, Rayalaseema and Tamil Nadu over the next two days.

According to the nationwide forecast by the IMD on Friday, the minimum temperatures have been markedly above normal at a few places over West Rajasthan, which means these were more than 5 degrees Celsius above season's average.

In most other parts of the country, the temperatures have been recorded either "appreciably above normal", which means it was between 3 to 5 degrees "above normal", or "above average", which is 1.6 to 3 degrees more than season's average temperature.

The highest maximum temperature of 44.3 degrees Celsius was recorded at Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh in the country.

Director of Skymet private weather forecasting agency Mahesh Palawat told IANS the heat wave will continue with the temperature rising and a change in the direction of winds.

"The temperature is going to increase as the direction of winds has changed from northwest to southwest direction, that is from Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh to Gujarat, Rajasthan," Palawat told IANS.

"The pre-monsoon showers have also been delayed, and the temperature is likely to hover around 42 degrees Celsius to 43 degrees Celsius," Palawat said.

In Delhi, the maximum temperature surged to 40.1 degrees Celsius, three notches above the season's average.

The Met Office has issued heat wave warnings for Telangana and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh for two more days.

According to the Hyderabad Meteorological Centre, the maximum temperature at most places is likely to be between 40 and 45 degrees Celsius.

In Odisha, intense heat wave continued on Friday with 17 regions recording temperature above 40 degrees Celsius while several deaths were reported due to sunstroke.

In Uttar Pradesh, heat wave conditions intensified in most parts, and the IMD said the state is witnessing one of the "highest day temperatures over the past three years".

The soaring temperature and heat wave have claimed many lives across the country, with the toll crossing 130, according to figures given by state governments.