No respite from searing heat, 33 dead across northwest, central India
New Delhi: On Thursday, a slight decrease in the maximum temperatures was observed across vast regions of northwest and central India. Despite this, the heat remained oppressive, with temperatures soaring above 47 degrees Celsius in areas of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.
Meanwhile, extreme temperatures have been linked to the deaths of at least 33 individuals in Bihar, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Jharkhand, all of whom suffered from symptoms associated with the heatwave.
In Jharkhand, the Palamu district recorded the state’s highest temperature at 47.4 degrees Celsius and witnessed the heat-related deaths of four people, including a woman.
In Rajasthan, the government has reported five fatalities due to the heatwave, countering media claims of a higher death toll. Dr Ravi Prakash Mathur, Director of Public Health, assured that the situation is under control thanks to proactive measures initiated by the health department in March.
Bihar also faced severe heatwave conditions and witnessed 24 deaths, with temperatures exceeding 44 degrees Celsius in several areas. The deaths occurred in the districts of Arwal, Buxar, Rohtas, Aurangabad, and Begusarai.
In just two hours, 16 people died due to heat-related causes at the district hospital in Aurangabad, Bihar. Visuals showed family members of the deceased crying at the hospital. A doctor reported that at least 35 more patients have been admitted for heat-related causes, but all arrangements are in place.
Additionally, a 40-year-old man from Darbhanga, Bihar, died at Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia hospital after suffering a heatstroke during the record-breaking heatwave in the national capital. The man was admitted late Monday night.
According to a doctor who attended to him, he was living in a room without a cooler or fan and had a high fever.
His body temperature had crossed 107 degrees Fahrenheit, nearly 10 degrees above normal. This is the first heat-stroke death reported in Delhi this summer.
The meteorological department noted a marginal reduction in the severity of the heatwave in parts of northwest and central India.
Rajasthan’s Ganganagar recorded the nation’s highest temperature at 48.3 degrees Celsius, closely followed by Sidhi in Madhya Pradesh at 48.2 degrees and Varanasi at 47.8 degrees. Both Rohtak and Narnaul in Haryana experienced a scorching 47.5 degrees each.
Late in the evening, eastern Uttar Pradesh was hit by hailstorms and thunderstorms, providing a brief respite from the relentless heat.
A decline in temperatures was also noted in southern Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, attributed to the influx of moist winds from the Arabian Sea. This cooling trend is expected to spread to northwest India in the coming days.
Delhi’s Ayanagar was the hottest area in the capital, with the mercury hitting 47 degrees Celsius.
The Ridge and Palam areas were not far behind, recording temperatures of 46.7 and 46.4 degrees Celsius, respectively. Safdarjung, which serves as the base station for Delhi, sweltered at 45.6 degrees.
In Rajasthan, Pilani, Sangaria in Hanumangarh, Churu, and Phalodi were among the places that endured intense heat, with temperatures ranging from 46.8 to 47.6 degrees Celsius.
Other areas in Rajasthan, such as Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Alwar, Dholpur, Jaipur, and Kota, also faced extreme heat, with temperatures varying between 44.5 and 46.8 degrees Celsius.
Chandigarh, shared by Punjab and Haryana, recorded a high of 44.9 degrees Celsius.
Punjab’s Bathinda was one of the hottest places in the state at 46.4 degrees Celsius, while Amritsar and Ludhiana recorded highs of 45.4 and 45.6 degrees Celsius, respectively. Patiala’s temperature peaked at 46.2 degrees, and Gurdaspur cooled slightly to 43 degrees.
Himachal Pradesh’s mid and higher hills saw a minor drop in temperatures due to light rainfall, which lowered the mercury by one to two degrees Celsius.
Una’s maximum temperature fell slightly to 43.8 degrees Celsius from 46 degrees the previous day. Neri remained the hottest in Himachal Pradesh at 45.6 degrees Celsius.
Manali reported 10 mm of rainfall, with Keylong, Kalpa, Shimla, Bhuntar, and Sainj receiving lesser amounts, according to the weather office. with agency inputs
