New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said a severe heatwave will continue in Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh till May 26, with no respite from the unrelenting heat at least for the next four days.
As the blistering heat scorched large parts of the country on Wednesday, the mercury surged to 48 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan's Barmer, the highest temperature recorded so far this year.
According to the IMD's latest weather bulletin issued today, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are very likely in parts of East and West Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and West Uttar Pradesh from Thursday to April 26.
Meanwhile, a severe heatwave will prevail in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh from Friday to April 26.
On Thursday, the maximum temperature in Delhi is expected to soar to 43.4 degrees Celsius, an increase of three notches from the average, while the minimum is likely to settle at 30.9 degrees, a spike of four notches from normal.
As a result of the unabated heat, at least 24 places in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh recorded maximum temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius or above on Wednesday.
While the highest maximum temperature was recorded in Rajasthan's Barmer at 48 degrees Celsius, Sirsa in Haryana came in second at 47.7 degrees, followed by 46.6 degrees in Punjab's Bhatinda; 46.1 degrees in Gujarat's Kandla; 45 degrees in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam and Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh; and 44.8 degrees in Maharashtra's Akola.
The Met Department has issued a red warning for Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and west Uttar Pradesh, emphasising a "very high likelihood" of heat illness and heatstroke in all ages.
The IMD has predicted heavy to very heavy rain in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Puducherry on Thursday. The weather office also predicted downpours in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for the next seven days.
As a result of the torrential rain in Kerala, which is expected to continue till Saturday, the weather office has issued a red alert for the districts of Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, and Idukki.
Citing the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, a PTI news report said that four deaths were reported across the southern state due to rain-related incidents.
