Delhi sizzles at 46 degrees, IMD’s red alert for heatwave across north India
A severe heatwave has gripped Delhi and several other parts of north India, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a ‘red alert’ warning for Sunday, May 19.
According to a bulletin by the weather department, a ‘red alert’ has been issued in Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab, and West Rajasthan. An ‘orange’ alert has been issued in Uttar Pradesh and East Rajasthan.
Notably, a ‘red alert’ is issued when extreme weather conditions are a “high health concern” for vulnerable people, including infants, the elderly and those with chronic diseases.
According to the IMD, the brutal heat scorching northwest India will likely continue for another four days. Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh will likely bear the maximum impact. It also said that high humidity levels are likely in Goa and sub-Himalayan West Bengal over the next few days.
Meanwhile, the weather department has also warned of heatwave conditions in some areas of Himachal Pradesh, a day after the maximum temperatures went two to 6.4 degrees Celsius above normal in several places. According to the IMD in its bulletin on Saturday, a heat wave is likely over the next 24 hours at isolated places in Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Solan, Sirmaur, Kangra, and Shimla.
On Saturday, at least 20 places in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh recorded maximum temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius or above. In Delhi, Mungeshpur recorded the highest temperature of 46.8 degrees Celsius, followed by Najafgarh at 46.7 degrees Celsius, Pitampura at 46.1 degrees Celsius and Pusa at 46 degrees Celsius.
IMD’s rainfall alert
The IMD has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall over south Peninsular India till May 23 and extremely heavy rainfall from May 19 to May 21.
“Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall very likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal and Kerala and Mahe on 18th and 22nd and South Interior Karnataka during 18th-20th May, 2024. Isolated extremely heavy rainfall also very likely over Tamil Nadu and Kerala during 19th-21st May, 2024,” the IMD wrote in its bulletin.