Amidst the soaring temperatures in Northern India, the maximum temperature in the national capital reached 47.4 degrees Celsius on Monday, the highest in the country. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a severe heatwave red alert for Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Chandigarh, forecasting that the heatwave to severe heatwave conditions will persist for the next five days. On May 23, heatwave conditions are also anticipated in certain areas of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Saurashtra, and Kutch. Meanwhile, in the southern region of India, three districts in Kerala – Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Idukki – are under an extremely heavy rainfall warning, with the IMD declaring a “red alert” for Tuesday and Wednesday. Due to the continuous rainfall in various parts of the state, the state government announced on Monday that emergency operations are active in all districts due to the risk of landslides and epidemics. Furthermore, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal are highly likely to witness isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall (115.5-204.5 mm) on Tuesday, as per the weather agency, which has issued an “orange alert.”
Delhi: Power demand peaks
Officials from the power distribution company have reported that a heatwave in certain areas of Delhi resulted in the highest peak power demand ever recorded for the month of May. The Delhi government has responded to this heatwave by instructing both private and government-aided schools, which had not yet started their summer vacations, to begin them immediately. The Directorate of Education has issued a circular stating that all schools must observe their summer break from May 11 to June 30 for the current academic year.
Himachal Pradesh: Revised School Timings Announced
The Education Department of Himachal Pradesh State has made the decision to modify the school timings for classes 1 to 12 in response to a heatwave warning issued for various districts. In light of the scorching weather conditions, a circular has been issued to change the school hours from 7.30 am to 1.00 pm. Local authorities have the discretion to make decisions based on their specific circumstances.
All staff and teachers have been put on high alert and given instructions to provide two breaks and ensure that there are sufficient arrangements for water for the students. As per the meteorological center in Shimla, the heatwave is expected to persist in certain areas within the districts of Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Solan, Sirmaur, Kangra, and Shimla for the next four to five days.
“Heatwave Claims Life of Man in Kota, Rajasthan”
According to police sources, a man from Uttar Pradesh died in Kota, Rajasthan due to a heatwave. The deceased, identified as 44-year-old Mahendra Kushwah from Hathras, was found near a hotel in Kota’s Dadwada on Sunday evening. Authorities believe that Kushwah’s death was a result of the scorching heatwave on that day.
The extreme heat continued to prevail in Rajasthan, with the Jaipur Meteorological Centre reporting that Pilani, situated in Jhunjhunu district, recorded the highest temperature in the state, reaching a scorching 46.6 degrees Celsius.
Jammu Experiences Hottest Day of the Season in Jammu and Kashmir”
On Monday, Jammu witnessed its highest temperature of the season, reaching 42.2 degrees Celsius, as reported by an official. In response to the scorching weather conditions, authorities have made adjustments to school timings in order to provide relief for students. According to PTI, the met office spokesperson mentioned that the maximum temperature in Jammu and Kashmir’s winter capital was 3.9 degrees higher than the seasonal average. The Directorate of School Education in Jammu has issued an order to change the school timings for the summer zones in the division. Starting from Monday, all government and recognized private schools up to the higher secondary level will now operate from 8 am to noon.
Noida: Summer break announced for students in grades 9-12 across all educational institutions.
The Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration has declared summer vacations for students in classes 9 to 12 at all schools in Noida and Greater Noida due to the severe heatwave conditions. Summer holidays for students in classes up to 8 had already been announced in the district. According to the IMD, Gautam Buddh Nagar recorded a maximum temperature of 45.6 degrees Celsius on Monday and forecasts indicate that the heatwave will persist for the next four days.