With phase two of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 underway, voters are grappling severe heat to come and exercise their right to vote. As temperatures continue to rise, the IMD has issued heatwave warning across various parts of India.
With the second phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 underway, the Indian Meteorological Department has issued warning for heatwave to severe heatwave like conditions. As voters grapple severe heat as they cast their votes, IMD has issued red and orange alerts for various states across India.
The second phase of the Lok Sabha Elections are being held on Friday – April 26. A total of 13 states will vote today for 88 constituencies. As of 11AM, the voter turnout across the states was reported to be 25.3 percent.
As per the latest forecast by IMD, a red alert has been issued for West Bengal which is expected to face severe heatwave like conditions. Neighbouring states such as Odisha, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have been placed under an orange alert for heatwave like conditions.
As per the weather department, the temperature recorded has already crossed the 40 degree mark and is soon expected to surpass 45 degrees as well. In areas such as Rayalaseema, South Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, and North Tamil Nadu, temperatures are three to five degrees above normal.
Meanwhile for Jharkhand, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Coastal Karnataka and Konkan, a yellow alert has been issued by the weather department.
As per Dr Naresh Kumar, a senior scientist from IMD, Kerala will also remain hot and humid for the next few days. The senior IMD official told NDTV that Rajasthan is expected to record normal temperature. He noted that an active western disturbance over Iran is expected to impact Northwest India after two days.
Due to the extreme heat and rising temperatures, the poll timings for Bihar have been extended. As per an official announcement by the Election Commission of India, the poll timings were revised due to the heatwave-like conditions prevalent in the state.
As per the announcement, the polling booths for the Banka, Madhepura, Khagaria and Munger constituencies will remain open till 6 PM for citizens to come and cast their vote.