Heat Wave Warning For 5 States, 45 Degrees In Some Parts: 10 Points

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heat wave conditions in large parts of the country for at least the next five days. "Rise by about 2 degrees Celsius in maximum temperatures very likely over most parts of Northwest India during next three days and fall by about 2 degrees Celsius thereafter," it said.

A heat wave warning has been announced for Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, UP and Odisha as parts of these states record temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius. The severe conditions are likely to persist till the first week of May after which chances of rain increase, IMD scientist RK Jenamani was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

The mercury maintained an upward trend in central India with temperatures in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh crossing 45 degrees Celcius.

Delhi witnessed yet another warm morning today as the weather office predicted a heatwave in the region during the day with the maximum temperature likely to touch 43 degrees Celsius. The weather office has predicted the temperature in the national capital to touch 44 degrees Celsius by Friday.

The punishing heatwave building up in large parts of India has led to a sharp rise in power demand in states like Maharashtra. The state - already facing the fourth spell of heat wave in two months - has reported a shortage of 20,000 lakh metric tonnes and key thermal power plants in the state are likely to run out of coal in less than 2 days, the state's power minister told NDTV in an exclusive interview.

Rajasthan has scheduled four hours of power cuts for factories, making it at least the third state after Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh to disrupt industrial activity to manage surging power demand amid an intense heat wave. The state also imposed four-hour power cuts for rural regions, exposing thousands of families in the desert state to extreme temperatures, with peak summer heat still to come before cooling monsoon rains arrive in June.

In the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the winter capital Jammu recorded its hottest day of the season with the mercury touching 40 degrees Celsius. The soaring temperature has led to power cuts and water crisis in different parts of the Union Territory.

Odisha sweltered in the blazing sun for the third successive day on Wednesday as the maximum temperature breached the 40 degrees Celsius-mark in 24 places, the Met office said. All schools in the state have been shut till April 30 due to heat wave.

Neighbouring West Bengal has announced early summer holidays for educational institutions due to severe heat. Schools and colleges in the state have been ordered to shut by May 2 due to heat, according to reports.

This year, Northwest India recorded the hottest March in 122 years, with an average maximum temperature surpassing the previous record of 30.67 degrees Celsius in 2004.