As West Bengal and Odisha brace for an impact from Cyclone Remal, the other regions in India continue to brave crippling heat. Rajasthan’s Phalodi saw mercury soar to 50 degree Celsius, the highest temperature recorded in India since June 1, 2019, as per the IMD.
The IMD on Saturday, May 25, said that heatwave conditions prevailed over many regions in India. “Today, heat wave to severe heat wave conditions prevailed over many parts of Rajasthan and in isolated pockets of Assam. Heat wave conditions prevailed in some parts of Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu Kashmir and in isolated pockets of Haryana, Assam and Vidarbha,” it said.
Heavy Rainfall in West Bengal, Odisha
As per an update issued by the IMD at 7:50 pm on Saturday, the deep depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclonic Storm ‘Remal’. It was centered approximately 360 km south-southeast of Khepupara and 350 km south-southeast of Sagar Island.
The storm is expected to intensify further this morning and cross the West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Island and Khepupara with wind speeds of 110 to 120 kmph, gusting to 135 kmph around midnight on Sunday. The IMD has issued a warning for extremely heavy rainfall in the coastal regions of West Bengal and north ODisha on May 26 and May 27. Besides this, certain regions of northeast India could also see extremely heavy precipitation on May 27-28.
A red alert has been issued for the coastal districts of South and North 24 Parganas in West Bengal for May 26-27, with extremely heavy rain expected in some areas. An orange alert is in effect for the districts of Kolkata, Howrah, Nadia, and Purba Medinipur.
Heatwave conditions to continue
The IMD stated in its release that heat wave to severe heat wave conditions are highly likely to persist over the plains of Northwest India and Madhya Pradesh, while heat wave conditions are expected in the Western Himalayan Region, Vidarbha, and Chhattisgarh over the next 4-5 days.
The Met office said heat wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets of Jammu division, Himachal Pradesh, and Vidarbha from May 25 to 29th. These conditions are also expected in West Uttar Pradesh on May 29, in East Uttar Pradesh from May 26 to 28, in Chhattisgarh from May 27 to 29, in Gujarat today, and in East Madhya Pradesh on May 26 and 29.
Heat wave to severe heat wave conditions are very likely in many or most parts of Rajasthan from May 26 to 29, in some or many parts of Punjab from May 26 to 29, in Haryana-Chandigarh from May 26 to 29, in West Uttar Pradesh from May 26 to 28, in isolated pockets of West Madhya Pradesh on May 26, in East Madhya Pradesh on May 27 and 28, and in Delhi from May 26 to 29.
Heavy rainfall in Kerala
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted the further advancement of the Southwest Monsoon in Kerala on Saturday. It indicated that Kerala is likely to receive heavy rainfall from May 26 to 29.