Sirsa sizzles at 46.4 degrees Celsius as scorching heatwave continues in northwest India

New Delhi, June 3

Heatwave conditions continued with slightly reduced intensity over parts of northwest and central India on Monday, with marginal relief predicted after two days.

Temperatures in 17 locations breached 45 degrees Celsius on Monday, with the punishing heat affecting health and livelihoods.

Heatwave conditions are very likely to continue in some parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Odisha on June 4-5; Uttar Pradesh, west Rajasthan, and Jharkhand until June 7; and Bihar from June 6-7, the Met office said.

Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh was the hottest in the country with a maximum temperature of 46.8 degrees Celsius. Sirsa in Haryana and Ganganagar in Rajasthan sizzled at 46.4 and 46.5 degrees Celsius, respectively.

The mercury settled at 45.1 degrees in Delhi’s Ayanagar, 45.9 degrees in Punjab’s Amritsar, and 45.4 degrees in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj.

The India Meteorological Department said heatwave conditions over northwest, central, and east India are likely to continue with reduced intensity during the next four to five days.

The deadly heatwave is testing India’s disaster preparedness, with several states reporting heat-related deaths.

India recorded nearly 25,000 suspected heat stroke cases and 56 deaths due to heat-related illnesses from March to May, PTI reported on Saturday, citing data from the health ministry.

According to data compiled by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 46 of these deaths were recorded in May alone (till May 30).

Between May 1 and 30, 19,189 suspected heat stroke cases were reported in the country, it said.

The data does not include deaths from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi, and the final numbers are expected to be higher, a source said.