Severe Heatwave Grips West Bengal and Odisha: IMD Issues Red Alert

Severe Heatwave Grips West Bengal and Odisha

Severe-Soma Sen Roy, a senior scientist at IMD, revealed that the scorching temperatures in Gangetic West Bengal have persisted for several days, prompting the issuance of a red alert for the region.

“Severe heatwave conditions have been persisting in Gangetic West Bengal for an extended period, necessitating the issuance of a red alert,” stated Soma Sen Roy.

Severe-She emphasized that while the intensity of the heatwave in Odisha, particularly in North Odisha, may not match that of West Bengal, it is severe enough to warrant a red alert.

Severe-“Although the severity of the heatwave in Odisha may not be as extreme as in West Bengal, it has persisted for numerous days, prompting the issuance of a red alert for this region as well,” she remarked.

Soma Sen Roy further highlighted that the current temperatures in eastern and peninsular India are significantly elevated, surpassing normal levels. In addition to Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal, heatwave conditions are also prevalent in East India, South Peninsular India, and certain northern regions of Kerala. For East India, including Bihar and Jharkhand, IMD has issued an Orange alert, while a Yellow alert has been issued for Eastern Uttar Pradesh and the northern parts of Kerala.

Commenting on the sudden weather fluctuations in northern parts of the country, IMD scientists noted a recent surge in thunderstorm activity, particularly in Delhi.

“Yesterday witnessed substantial thunderstorm activity, although today, we do not anticipate as much activity over the North Indian Plains. However, thunderstorms, accompanied by heavy rains, are likely to persist over the Western Himalayan region, including Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, leading to the issuance of an orange alert.

Additionally, a yellow alert has been issued for Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and surrounding areas. We anticipate a resurgence of thunderstorm activity, particularly over North-West India, commencing from April 29, 2024,” Soma Sen Roy elaborated.

She further indicated that Eastern India would remain unaffected by western disturbances, with heatwave conditions continuing to prevail in the region.