54 die as severe heatwave hits part of India
At least 54 people died as extreme heatwave conditions persisted in central, eastern, and northern India, with numerous cities, including Delhi, experiencing high temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius. A duststorm is expected throughout Uttar Pradesh from May 31 to June 1, as well as in Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi on May 31.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) projected very light/light rainfall, thunderstorms, and lightning over the plains of Northwest India between May 31 and June 2.
On Thursday, Delhi had a maximum temperature of 45.6 degrees Celsius, 5.2 degrees above usual. This happened a day after the national capital set a 79-year high of 46.8 degrees Celsius, according to IMD data.
Also read: Delhi Govt. appeals to SC for increased water supply from neighboring states
In Bihar, 32 people died from heatstroke, including 17 in Aurangabad, six in Arrah, three in Gaya and Rohtas, two in Buxar, and one in Patna. Ten persons killed in Rourkela, Odisha. Five people died in Jharkhand’s Palamu and Rajasthan, and one in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur.
Earlier, a 40-year-old Darbhanga resident died of heatstroke in Delhi. He died from multiple organ failure after his body temperature soared to 108 degrees Fahrenheit, nearly 10 degrees higher than normal.
Maximum temperatures were between 45 and 48 degrees Celsius on Thursday in several regions of Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi, as well as isolated pockets across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, East Madhya Pradesh, and Vidarbha, according to the IMD.
Also read: Delhi’s Mungeshpur weather station records 52.3 degrees celsius; highest ever in city’s history
According to the IMD, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are expected in isolated regions of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha on May 31 and June 1.
Monsoon to move to southern, north-eastern states
The IMD stated that conditions were favorable for the Southwest Monsoon to advance into more parts of Lakshadweep and Kerala, some parts of Karnataka, some parts of Tamil Nadu, the remaining parts of Assam and Meghalaya, and some parts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim over the next two to three days.
From May 31 to June 2, a western disturbance was observed as cyclonic circulation above Jammu, and isolated to scattered light rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning was highly possible throughout Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
From May 31 to June 2, a western disturbance was observed as cyclonic circulation above Jammu, and isolated to scattered light rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning was highly possible throughout Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
