Warm night conditions have also been predicted to prevail over Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi over the weekend.
The sweltering weather across large parts of India continued to pose a challenge for citizens on Wednesday, with the maximum temperature breaching 48 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan's Barmer. This was the highest temperature recorded in the nation so far this year.
Official data showed that at least 24 places in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh recorded maximum temperature of 45 degrees Celsius or above on Wednesday.
Heatwave conditions are set to further worsen with the India Meteorological Department predicting a rise of three to four degrees in northwest India over the next few days.
Warm night conditions have also been predicted to prevail over Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi over the weekend.
Meanwhile, rains continued to lash southern parts of the country, disrupting daily life for the citizens residing there.
The national capital on Wednesday recorded a maximum temperature of 43.4 degrees Celsius, which was three notches above normal.
According to the Met office, Delhi's minimum temperature on Thursday morning was recorded at 30 degrees Celsius. For the day, IMD forecast "mainly clear sky and heat wave conditions with Strong Surface Winds occasionally in Gusty".
The prediction for the city till May 29 is just "heat wave conditions".
IMD also predicted heat wave to severe heat wave conditions to be "very likely" in isolated pockets of the national capital during May 24-26.
Notably, Safdarjung Hospital has made special arrangements in its emergency department for people who need treatment from Heat wave.
Dr Shivani Sharma, Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, told news agency ANI, "As per the instructions issued by the ministry some beds have been earmarked for the suspected or confirmed heat stroke patients, some are reserved for casualties."
"Since our buildings have centralised AC, we also have adequate pedestal fans and garden hose spray because the best mechanism of cooling is evaporative cooling... Till now we have zero reported cases of heat-related illness," she added.
Rajasthan was one of the worst-hit by heat wave conditions as the city's Barmer district recorded India's highest temperature so far this summer season.
Barmar saw a maximum of 48 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, while Phalodi recorded 47.8, Fatehpur at 47.6, Churu at 47.5, Jalore and Jaisalmer at 47.8 and Vanasthali (Tonk) at 47.1 degrees Celsius.
Looking at the increasingly tense situation, the state government cancelled the leaves of all divisional commissioners, additional divisional commissioners, district collectors, additional district collectors and sub divisional officers till further orders.
Health authorities had already cancelled the leaves of all doctors and paramedical staff in government hospitals as temperatures soared in the state.
For the next three days, the Met office has forecast severe heatwave conditions in Alwar, Bharatpur, Dausa, Dholpur, Jaipur, Jhunjhunu, Karauli, Sikar, Barmer, Bikaner, Churu, Hanumangarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Nagaur and Ganganagar.
At least four people were killed in rain-related incidents as torrential downpour lashed several parts of Kerala on Wednesday. The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert in five districts of the southern state for "heavy rainfall".
The red alert was issued for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Idukki.
Earlier, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam had been placed under the 'orange alert', however IMD upgrade the warning, predicting extremely heavy rainfall in isolated pockets there.
A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rain of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an orange alert means very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm, and a yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm.
Notably, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has warned the fishermen against venturing into the sea until further notice.
"Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall likely over Kerala on May 23," IMD bulletin read, with forecast for "isolated heavy rainfall" likely over Kerala on May 24 and 25.
Several districts of Tamil Nadu were also witness to heavy rainfall with Coimbatore's Azhiyar recording the highest rainfall of 15 cm in the last 24 hours.
As per the state's Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Thirumoorthi Dam and Amaravathy Dam--both in Tiruppur district, received 14 cm and 12 cm rainfall, respectively, in the 24-hour period ending 8.30 am Wednesday.
"Fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning
& gusty winds (30-40 kmph) likely over Tamil Nadu during next 5 days," the Met department's forecast bulletin read.
The southern state is expected to witness "isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall" on Thursday, especially at isolated places over Theni, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Virudhunagar districts.
RMC, in its warning for fishermen on Thursday, said squally weather with wind speed reaching 50 kmph to 60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph was likely to prevail over Southeast and Eastcentral Bay of Bengal.
"Fishermen are advised not to venture into the above sea areas," it added.
The IMD said that a cyclonic circulation lies over Bangladesh & adjoining West Bengal and a trough runs from northwest Rajasthan to Bangladesh in lower tropospheric levels.
"Scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning & gusty winds (30-40 kmph) very likely over Gangetic West Bengal and isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall over Odisha, Bihar and Jharkhand during next 7 days," the weather forecast said.
Additionally, the Met office said that isolated heavy rainfall was very likely over Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and Meghalaya on May 26.
As many as six flights were diverted after lightning struck the Manohar International Airport (MIA) in Goa and caused damage to the runway edge lights on Thursday, an official said.
"MIA took NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) up to 8 pm by which time the damaged lights were rectified to bring the airport operations to normalcy," he said.
Apart from the MIA, the coastal state has another airport at Dabolim in South Goa.
The IMD, in its forecast said, "Isolated light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning & gusty winds (30-40 kmph) very likely over Konkan & Goa" on Thursday, May 23.
(With PTI inputs)