Despite the onset of the Southwest monsoon on Saturday, heatwave conditions are prevailing in north, north west and central parts of the country.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that heatwave conditions will prevail in parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Vidarbha next week and predicted “severe heatwave” in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan over the next two days. While several parts of Kerala received moderate rainfall on Sunday. Sriganganagar of West Rajasthan and Kota of East Rajasthan recorded 48 degree Celsius while the national capital 46 degree Celsius at Palam airport.
The maximum temperature in Delhi is expected to be 47 degree Celsius on Monday and there is no respite from the heat expected in the next two days. All time high temperature of Delhi was recorded 48. 4 degree on May 26 in 1998.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said monsoon has further advanced in the south Arabian Sea, most parts of Lakshadweep and some parts of Kerala and south Tamil Nadu among other regions. “The low pressure was expected to intensify into a depression in the next two days and subsequently, into a cyclone,” IMD said. It also pointed out that the conditions were becoming favourable for the monsoon to advance into some parts of Northeastern states over the next 48 hours till Tuesday.
According to IMD, dry and hot weather along with heat wave condition is making the situation deadly for the residents of Rajasthan who have been battling soaring temperatures for a long time now. North, north-west, central and parts of south India have been reeling under intense heat for the past month. The maximum temperatures were significantly above normal, by 3.1 to 5.0°C over most parts of north-western India.
Heatwave sweeping Haryana and Punjab intensified on Sunday, with Narnaul being the hottest in the two states with a high of 47 degrees Celsius.
Churu and Kota also reeled under severe heat with each recording a maximum temperature of 48.3 degrees Celsius. Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur recorded a high of 48.1, 47 and 46.2 degree Celsius, respectively. North Indian plains, central India and parts of south India have been reeling under intense heat for the past month.
In UP, Allahabad was the hottest city, where the mercury touched 47.7 degree Celsius, seven degrees above the normal. Ahmedabad in Gujarat recorded temperature of 44.3 degree Celsius, a positive departure of 3.6 degree Celsius, which is likely to remain unchanged Monday.
The rising temperature and delay in monsoon have left people across the country reeling under the scorching heat-so much so that people have even resorted to spiritual routes in the hope of appeasing the mighty rain gods. The priest of the Someshwara temple in Halasuru sat in two giant vessels filled with water, while another was seen performing the hawan to please rain gods. A marriage between two frogs was solemnised in Udupi to appease the rain gods and bring showers to the regionThe frogs--'Varun' from Kalsanka in Udupi and 'Varsha' from Kolalagiri in Kilinje-- were declared husband and wife in 'Simhalagna,' an auspicious hour at the unique marriage ceremony.
Several parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Orrisa, Gangetic West Bengal,Telangana, Rayalaseema, Tamilnadu and North interior Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and East Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Jharkhand and in one or two pockets of Gujarat State and Madhya Maharashtra have recorded 4 to 5 degree celsius above normal temperature.
In its forecast, IMD said the conditions were favourable for further progress of the Southwest monsoon into the remaining parts of South Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep and Kerala, some more parts of TN, southwest-, southeast-, east-central- and northeast Bay of Bengal and some parts of central Arabian Sea and west-central Bay of Bengal till Tuesday.
Officials of Ministry of Earth Sciences said that district collectors have been given a monsoon preparedness handbook which is part of the Orange book that details out all different standard operating procedures. This is the first time that such a handbook has been prepared in which 30 different departments have been addressed specifically, indicating their roles and responsibilities.
Kerala had witnessed the worst floods in 100 years during the monsoon last year, claiming over 400 lives and leaving behind a trail of destruction. Until June 8, Kerala was rain deficient by 63 per cent. The three-month pre-monsoon season — March, April and May — ended with a rainfall deficiency of 25 per cent. A water crisis has persisted in the country leading to agricultural distress with a dip in water level in reservoirs in west and south India.
