Heatwave Warning: Temperature To Rise Further In THESE Parts Of India, Says IMD

Heatwave Warning: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday that the temperatures are predicted to rise by two to three degrees over the next five days in the Northwest and East India. Both the regions are staring into another spell of extreme heat.

Heatwave-related Deaths

Several states, such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha, have reported fatalities linked to the heat wave as India faced numerous severe and extended heat waves in April and May, challenging human resilience and the nation’s readiness for disasters.

“Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are expected across northwest and east India over the next five days,” the IMD stated, noting that the heatwave will likely affect regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Gangetic West Bengal.

El Nino, Unusual Warming Of Ocean Surface

Experts attribute the extreme heat to the naturally occurring El Niño phenomenon, characterized by unusual warming of the ocean surface in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, coupled with the rapidly increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

During the May heatwave, numerous locations throughout the country, including the hills of Assam, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh, experienced record-breaking high temperatures. The mercury soared past 50 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan and approached this mark in Delhi and Haryana.

Major Water Reservoirs Depleted, Water Shortages In Many States

The Central Water Commission has reported that water storage levels in India’s 150 principal reservoirs have dwindled to just 22% of their live storage capacity this week, intensifying water scarcity across numerous states and significantly affecting hydropower production. From March to May, India registered close to 25,000 suspected cases of heat stroke and 56 fatalities attributed to heat-related conditions, as previously reported by PTI, referencing health ministry data.

According to data compiled by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 46 of these deaths were recorded in May alone (till May 30). Between May 1 and 30, 19,189 suspected heat stroke cases were reported in the country.

Heatwave Affecting Health, Water Availability, Economy

The data does not include deaths from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi, and could just be the tip of the iceberg, officials said on condition of anonymity.

Severe heatwaves have impacted a large number of people in parts of India for three consecutive years, affecting health, water availability, agriculture, power generation and other sectors of the economy.

(With PTI inputs)