IMD issues red alert for Delhi; temperature likely to touch 44 degrees

May 19, 2024

New Delhi [India], May 19 : The India Meteorological Department on Sunday held out no immediate respite from the searing and scalding heatwave as it issued a red alert in Delhi informing that the temperatures can range between 28 to 44 degrees Celsius.

Senior IMD scientist Naresh Kumar said that the current situation will prevail for the next week.
"Generally, May is considered the hottest month. If there is no rainfall activity in North India, then the temperature normally crosses 45 degrees Celsius. It is forecast that this situation will prevail for the next week. This scenario will continue for the next 5 days in Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana. We have issued a red alert. A heatwave situation will exist in UP for the next 3-4 days. Heatwaves will also prevail in North MP. We have issued an orange alert for the region," he said.
One of the tourists, Kavinder Beniwal, who came to Panipat to visit India Gate said that the children are getting irritated due to the prevailing heat.
"The situation is quite bad (due to excessive heat). I came here with my children to tour. The children are also getting irritated. I have come here from Panipat," he said.

Another tourist, Sanchita Sengupta, who came from Kolkata, West Bengal, said that camps and water should be available for the children and people visiting India Gate.
"I came with my child to visit here. Camps and the availability of water can help a lot of people during this scorching heat. Camps would be really helpful," she said.
Meanwhile, severe heatwave conditions, exceeding a blistering 45 degrees Celsius, were observed in some parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday.
IMD said that Barmer in Rajasthan experienced a scorching high of 46.9 degrees Celsius. Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh also recorded a searing 46.9 degrees Celsius.
Surendranagar and Deesa in Gujarat also recorded temperatures ranging between 45 and 45.5 degrees Celsius on Saturday.