1. IMD issues an orange heatwave alert for Odisha and West Bengal, a yellow alert for other states.
2. Boudh and Baripada in Odisha hit 45.2°C, and 10 places exceed 43°C.
3. Scorching temperatures grip several states; alerts issued by IMD.
Weather Update, April 21: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert (heatwave) for Odisha and West Bengal, while a yellow alert was issued for Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu amid scorching temperatures across several states.
High Temperatures Across States
- Odisha: Boudh and Baripada recorded a scorching 45.2 degrees Celsius, with the mercury exceeding 43 degrees Celsius at 10 other places in the state.
- West Bengal: Midnapore and Bankura witnessed temperatures soaring to 44.5 and 44.6 degrees Celsius, respectively.
- Jharkhand: Daltonganj and Jamshedpur recorded maximum temperatures of 43.6 and 43.5 degrees Celsius.
- Chhattisgarh: Rajnandgaon saw the mercury touching 43 degrees Celsius.
- Bihar: The district administration of Patna altered school timings due to intense heat, with temperatures surpassing 42 degrees Celsius in multiple locations.
IMD Forecast for Heatwave
The IMD forecasts an increase in heatwave days across India, with April expecting four to eight days, compared to the normal one to three days. Certain regions, including Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and others, are anticipated to witness 10-20 heatwave days or more.
Weather Concerns Amid Elections
The scorching weather conditions coincide with India’s general elections, raising concerns about voter vulnerability to heatwaves.
The IMD previously warned of extreme heat conditions during this period when approximately 97 crore eligible voters are expected to cast their ballots.
Also Read: Nagaland: Collapse of Double Circuit Tower near Pungro Town Hampers Likhimro HEP Power Generation
IMD Forecast for Rain
While parts of India endure searing temperatures, higher reaches in Himachal Pradesh experienced snowfall, and rain lashed mid and lower hills, resulting in the closure of 104 roads and three national highways on Saturday.
The local meteorological station issued a yellow warning of thunderstorms at isolated places on April 22 and 23.
Rain is forecasted in mid hills and rain and snowfall in higher reaches for the next six days as a fresh western disturbance is expected to affect northwest India from April 22.
