Jammu sizzles at 43 deg C, heatwave intensifies

People in Jammu reeled under blistering heatwave as the mercury soared to 43.1 degrees Celsius, weather department officials said on Sunday.

The Met department has forecast rain and lightning, accompanied by gusty wind reaching up to a speed of 30-40 kilometres per hour, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

The prevailing heatwave conditions intensified power and water woes in different parts of the region.

According to the Met department, Jammu's maximum temperature was 3.4 degrees Celsius above normal, while the minimum settled at 27.8 degrees Celsius, 2.1 notches above normal.

Srinagar recorded a maximum of 28.2 degrees Celsius, which was 2.3 notches below average for the season. The minimum temperature stayed at 12.6 degrees Celsius.

Leh recorded a high of 22.5 degrees Celsius, while Kargil's maximum stood at 22.8 degrees Celsius.

Gulmargh and Pahalgam health resorts their respective maximum at 16 and 23.9 degrees Celsius, it said.

The Santra Morh-Hazuribagh-Anandnagar-Bohri belt was the worst affected region in Jammu division, where locals say they are getting electricity for less than eight hours daily and dozens of power cuts and outages lasting hours.

Officials said that Ponichak grid does not take load and trips many times because of its less capacity.

People in Hazuribagh-Anandnagar staged protests against frequent power cuts.