Heatwave conditions have abated over large parts of North India, the India Meteorological Department said on Thursday, but this is expected to be short-lived as dry conditions are expected to resurface over the weekend or early next week.
“Heat wave conditions have abated from Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, north Rajasthan and many parts of Uttar Pradesh today the 20th June 2024. Scattered to fairly widespread light/moderate rainfall has been observed over Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, north Haryana-Chandigarh and north Uttar Pradesh during past 24 hours (Thursday). Isolated very heavy rainfall has also been observed over Uttarakhand during this period,” the IMD said on Thursday.
The forecast for the next five days, however, adds that maximum temperatures were likely to rise by about 2 to 3 degrees Celsius after two days.
Delhi reported a fall of nearly 4 degrees Celsius in maximum temperatures on Friday following light rain from a Western Disturbance. Punjab reported a fall of nearly 6.4 degrees Celsius in maximum temperature compared with the previous day, the IMD noted.
The monsoon, which has stalled over Central India since the June 12, is normally expected in northern India between June 25 and July 1. While the monsoon system has surged forward, the IMD said, and advanced into Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, northwest Bay of Bengal, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, and some parts of Bihar, there is no update regarding its arrival over northern India, which has been in the grip of searing heatwave conditions for nearly a month.
While there is no single consolidated figure for deaths from heatwaves, the Press Trust of India on Thursday, citing sources, reported data from the Union Health Ministry that estimated at least 110 heatwave-linked deaths from March 1 to June 18. These figures could not be independently corroborated with the Ministry.
Published - June 20, 2024 11:08 am IST
