Heat wave hits life at many places, Sriganganagar sizzles at 46 degrees

This, even as the IMD has forecast thunderstorm in eastern parts of the country

The mercury in most parts of northern India hovered above the 40 degree mark and severe heat wave conditions disrupted normal life in Rajasthan even as the IMD has forecast thunderstorm in eastern parts of the country.

It was another hot day in the national capital with the mercury hovering slightly below the 40 degree mark.

The maximum temperature was recorded at 39.8 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal, while the minimum was 21.4 degrees Celsius.

Normal life was thrown out of gear in Rajasthan as a severe heatwave swept through the desert with minimum temperatures seeing a increase of 2 to 4 degrees Celsius from yesterday.

Sriganganagar was the hottest place in the state with maximum temperature of 46 degrees Celsius, followed by Barmer 45.8 degrees Celsius, Churu 45.5 degrees Celsius, Bikaner 45.4 degrees Celsius, Jaisalmer 45.1 degrees Celsius, Kota 44.3 degrees Celsius.

Pilani recorded a high of 43.5 degrees Celsius, Ajmer and Dabok 43 degrees Celsius each and Jaipur 42.8 degrees Celsius.

The searing heat intensified in Odisha today with Balangir being the hottest place in the state at 44 degrees Celsius, where two sunstroke deaths have been reported so far.

The mercury breached the 40-degree mark in at least 10 places in the state.

Titlagarh recorded maximum temperature of 43.6 degrees Celsius, followed by 43 degrees Celsius in Bhawanipatna and 42.4 degrees Celsius in Malkangiri.

Sonepur recorded 40.8 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature in Hirakud was 40.5 degrees Celsius, in Phulbani it was 40.2 degrees Celsius and 40 degrees Celsius at both Sundargarh and Talcher.

Adilabad district in Telangana recorded the highest maximum temperature of 44.4 degrees Celsius. Nizamabad and Mahabubnagar both recorded maximum temperature of 44 degrees Celsius, followed by Ramagundam 43.4 degrees Celsius and Medak 43.2 degrees Celsius.

The mercury soared to 42.4 degrees Celsius in Hyderabad.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heatwave alert over Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana for the next three to four days.

Intense heat waves swept many parts of Haryana and Punjab, with Narnaul turning out to be the hottest at 44.3 degrees Celsius.

Besides Narnaul in Haryana, Hisar recorded maximum temperature of 43.6 degrees Celsius, six notches above normal while Ambala recorded a high of 39 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal, the MeT department here said.

In Punjab, Amritsar experienced a hot day at 42 degrees Celsius, seven notches above normal, while Ludhiana and Patiala recorded 42 degrees Celsius and 40.8 degrees Celsius respectively.

In Uttar Pradesh, weather remained dry with maximum temperatures hovering above normal limits at many places with Banda being the hottest in the state, recording a high of 45 degrees Celsius.

Maximum temperatures were appreciably above normal in Kanpur, Bareilly, Jhansi and Meerut divisions.

The IMD has also issued a thunderstorm warning over Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya. Cyclonic storm, Maarutha, which lay centred over east central Bay of Bengal, about 735 km East-Southeast of Paradip, may trigger rains or thundershowers at few places in Odisha.

The weather in Bihar remained dry since yesterday with Dehri in Rohtas district being the hottest place recording a high of 41 degrees Celsius for the second consecutive day.

Gaya recorded maximum temperature of 35.8 degrees Celsius, while in Patna it was 33.2 degrees Celsius. Bhagalpur recorded the maximum temperature of 33 degrees Celsius and Purnea 30.4 degrees Celsius.

One or two places in the north east and the north central parts of the state witnessed light to moderate rainfall, while the rest remained dry.

Severe heatwave conditions are likely at Rajasthan, West Madhya Pradesh, Saurashtra, Kutch, Vidarbha and East Madhya Pradesh during next three to four days. Heatwave conditions are likely in Punjab, Haryana, south Uttar Pradesh and central Maharashtra at the same time, the IMD said.

"Heatwave conditions at isolated places are very likely over the lower reaches of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during next 3-4 days," it said.

The lower hills of Himachal Pradesh reeled under scorching heat and Una in Shivalik hills recorded a high of 41.2 degrees Celsius while the mercury rose to 27 degrees Celsius in Shimla. Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur district also recorded a high of 23.8 degrees Celsius, five notches above normal.