New Delhi, May 23: Blistering heat and scorching summer winds swept across several parts of India on Saturday, pushing temperatures past 44 degrees Celsius in several regions. The punishing weather forced hospitals in Punjab to operationalise heat stroke management units, while the IMD issued a heatwave alert for three districts of Jharkhand for Monday.
The extreme conditions have begun to strain not just people, but also animals and birds, with veterinarians and animal rescuers in Delhi reporting exhausted pigeons dropping unconscious from the sky, dehydrated eagles being picked up from roadsides, and street animals suffering from stomach toxicity amid the capital’s relentless heatwave.
Telangana Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy said 16 people have died in seven districts of the state due to heatwave conditions prevailing in the state during the current summer.
In Rajasthan, Chittorgarh emerged as the hottest place in the state in the last 24 hours at 44.2 degrees Celsius, as the meteorological department warned that temperatures were likely to rise further from Sunday, with severe heatwave conditions expected in isolated pockets.
Delhi, too, remained trapped in intense summer conditions despite strong winds, thunderstorms, and light rain early morning, bringing temporary relief to parts of the city after days of searing heat.
The IMD warned that temperatures across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh are likely to rise further from Sunday onwards.
The heat’s impact in the national capital has extended beyond humans.
In Punjab and Haryana, intense hot weather conditions prevailed. Rohtak in Haryana registered a maximum temperature at 44.1 degrees Celsius, while Punjab’s Bathinda sizzled at 43.8 degrees Celsius.
Among other places in Punjab, Amritsar recorded a high of 40.5 degrees Celsius, while Ludhiana’s maximum was 41.2 degrees Celsius.
Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded a high of 40.6 degrees Celsius.
In Haryana, Ambala’s maximum was 41.2 degrees Celsius, while Hisar’s maximum settled at 42.4 degrees Celsius.
In Himachal Pradesh, the Shimla meteorological centre has issued a yellow warning for heatwave conditions in parts of the state on May 26 and 27.
With heatwave conditions intensifying across several parts of the country, doctors are warning that prolonged exposure to high temperatures may adversely affect not only physical well-being but also eye and neurological functioning, especially among children, senior citizens and people with pre-existing medical conditions. (PTI)
