New Delhi, May 20: New Delhi and several parts of northern India are witnessing extreme heatwave conditions as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for warm night conditions over Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Temperatures in many areas have crossed 45 degrees Celsius, while hot and dry winds have made outdoor conditions extremely harsh.
The IMD has warned that severe heatwave conditions are likely to persist over the next few days across northwest and central India, including Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and parts of Jammu and Kashmir. Banda in Uttar Pradesh recorded around 48 degrees Celsius, while several districts in Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh also reported unusually high day and night temperatures, offering little relief to residents.
Health authorities have advised people to avoid direct exposure to sunlight during afternoon hours, remain hydrated and take precautions against heat-related illnesses, particularly children, elderly persons and outdoor workers.
The IMD said that heatwave conditions are likely to prevail over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, southwest Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Marathwada and Odisha over the next two days.
The Met Department has also predicted thunder squalls accompanied by strong winds over Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha during the day.
Jammu and Kashmir, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Interior and Coastal Karnataka, Madhya Maharashtra, Konkan, Goa and the northeastern states are likely to witness thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds.
Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to continue over northwest and central India during the week and over east India during the next five days.
