Parts of India are sizzling under heatwave conditions with temperatures going beyond 47 degrees Celsius in some cities, including Delhi, which is also under a red alert. On Sunday, while IMD's station at Safdarjung recorded a high of 44.4 degrees Celsius, four notches above the normal, other parts of the city saw the mercury soaring above 47 degrees Celsius.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heatwave to "severe heatwave" conditions are likely to continue over plains of Northwest India until May 23.
Down south, the IMD has predicted isolated extremely heavy rainfall over Tamil Nadu and Kerala till May 21. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan advised the people to remain alert given the very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall forecast for Kerala.
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Delhi On Red Alert For Heatwave, Mercury Breaches 47 Deg-Mark: Delhi recorded an overall 44.4 degrees Celsius on Sunday, with the weather office issuing a 'red alert' due to severe heat wave conditions in the city. Delhi has seen a steady rise in temperature in recent days, resulting in the highest temperature recorded this summer on Sunday, May 19. Saturday's temperature was 43.6 degrees Celsius, up from 42.5 degrees Celsius on Friday.
Delhi's Najafgarh Hottest In Country: While the station at Safdarjung recorded a high of 44.4 degrees Celsius, four notches above the normal on Sunday, other parts of the city saw the mercury soaring above 47 degrees Celsius. Najafgarh recorded a high of 47.8 degrees Celsius, the highest in the country on Sundday. Delhi's Mungeshpur recorded 47.7 degrees, Aya Nagar recorded 46.4 degrees, Pusa recorded 46.5 degrees, Pitampura recorded 47 degrees, and Palam recorded 45.1 degrees.
47 Degrees C In Parts Of MP: Mercury soared to 47.5 degrees Celsius in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district, while Guna and Gwalior sizzled at 45.5 degrees on Sunday, an official from the India Meteorological Department said. According to a WhatsApp message of IMD's Bhopal centre cited by news agency PTI, MP's Datia recorded the third-highest temperature in the country. After Delhi's Najafgarh, Agra was the hottest in the country at 47.7 degrees, as per IMD.
Rains Lash Kerala, Red Alert for Some Districts: Heavy rains hit many parts of Kerala, prompting authorities on Sunday to urge people, particularly those living in hilly and coastal areas, to exercise vigil. The Meteorological Department issued red alerts for Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, and Idukki districts for Sunday and Monday, May 20, and sounded orange alerts for four other districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, and Ernakulam, for these days.
Kerala's Idukki Bans Night Travel: The Met office predicted thunderstorms with moderate rainfall and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40 km/h at one or two places in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Kannur and Kasaragod districts of Kerala till 1 pm on Sunday. The Idukki District Collector ordered a ban on night travel through the hilly areas of the district from Sunday until the red and orange alerts are withdrawn. "Strict instructions have been issued to the District Superintendent of Police, Sub Divisional Magistrates, Regional Transport Officers, and Tehsildars to implement the ban effectively," PTI quoted an official statement. Mining activities have been banned in Ernakulam and Kottayam districts in view of the forecast for heavy rain.
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Rains Likely In Bengaluru This Week: As per the IMD forecast, Karnataka;s Bengaluru is expected to receive week-long showers. On May 20, temperatures are likely to range from 23 degrees Celsius to 29 degrees Celsius, with a generally cloudy sky accompanied by one or two spells of rain or thundershowers. The IMD has reportedly issued a yellow alert for heavy rain, lightning, and thunderstorms. On Saturday, May 18, the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Chennai Super kings (CSK) was delayed due to rain.
