Red Alert Issued as Severe Heatwave Grips Eastern India

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert warning for severe heatwave conditions across several states in Eastern India, including Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand, expected to persist through Wednesday and Thursday. On Tuesday, Kalaikunda in Gangetic West Bengal recorded the nation’s highest temperature at a scorching 47.2 degrees Celsius.

The IMD specified that severe heatwave conditions are “very likely to prevail” in key districts such as Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, and Sundargarh among others, with temperatures soaring past normal ranges. Similarly, districts like Deogarh and Sambalpur are also expected to face significant heatwave conditions.

In addition to the sweltering heat, strong surface winds ranging from 25-35 kmph are anticipated across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Haryana, including Chandigarh and Delhi. The weather pattern is influenced by a trough/wind discontinuity stretching from southeast Madhya Pradesh to South Interior Karnataka at lower tropospheric levels. This meteorological setup is expected to induce light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Lakshadweep.

Odisha, in particular, is experiencing extreme temperatures with 30 cities reporting temperatures above 41 degrees Celsius. Baripada and Balasore recorded temperatures of 46.4 and 46 degrees Celsius respectively, with Balasore marking its highest temperature in the last decade. Manorama Mohanty, the Director of IMD in Bhubaneswar, explained, “As Balasore is a coastal district and due to disturbances in nature, these types of problems are arising.”

With the mercury expected to rise by an additional 3 to 6 degrees Celsius in the coming days, Mohanty urged the public to take necessary precautions, especially during the peak hours of 11 am to 4 pm.

The ongoing heatwave has led to temperatures ranging between 43 to 46 degrees Celsius across parts of Gangetic West Bengal and Odisha, significantly above the normal by 4-8 degrees Celsius, impacting daily life and prompting serious health advisories.