Severe heatwave alert issued for Western Rajasthan

The Regional Meteorological Centre issued an orange alert for a heatwave in parts of western Rajasthan and a yellow alert in parts of east Rajasthan 20 with the possibility of loo- strong, gusty, hot, dry winds that blow during the day.

Director, of the Regional Centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Jaipur, Radhe Shyam Sharma, said that the western part of the state is set to face a new spell of heatwaves for at least a week.

The IMD official said, "Temperature is increasing at alarming rates. In the coming days, the temperature will cross the of 46-47 degree Celsius mark, especially in the Shekhawati and northwest regions. The temperature will increase by 2-3 degrees Celsius."

He also said that a heatwave will approach eastern Rajasthan by May 17.

Yesterday, Sri Ganganagar in Western Rajasthan recorded the highest temperature of 44.4 degrees Celsius.The maximum temperatures were in the range of 42-44 degree Celsius in isolated pockets over Rajasthan,it said.

Doctors have advised wearing full-sleeved shirts while stepping outdoors and ensuring limited exposure to the hot sun and urged people on the need to keep oneself hydrated either with water, fruit juices, electrolytes, or ORS. Inadequate consumption of water or fluids can result in a severe downturn in health, they said.

Earlier, the IMD said that most parts of the country are likely to record above-normal maximum temperatures in the month of May.

The weather department said that the number of heatwave days is likely to be above normal by about five to eight days over south Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Marathwada, and the Gujarat region and two to four days over the remaining parts of Rajasthan, east Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and some parts of Chhattisgarh, interior Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, north interior Karnataka and Telangana, and isolated pockets of north Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh. (ANI)