The situation in Rajasthan due to the persisting heatwave remained dire on Sunday, with at least eight cities crossing the 45°C-mark and the India Meteorological Department predicting a further rise of 1-2°C over the next 48 hours.
There was a slight drop in the temperature in Phalodi in Jodhpur district, as it recorded a maximum temperature of 49.8°C on Sunday, down from the 50°C it recorded on Saturday. The Sunday temperature was 6.7°C above normal, indicating the sizzling conditions that the western state has been reeling under.
“In the next 48 hours, there is a possibility of a 1-2 degree Celsius increase in the maximum temperature in some parts of the Bikaner, Jaipur, Bharatpur, and Kota divisions. The ongoing severe heatwave and warm nights are likely to continue for the next three days in the state,” the Met department forecast on Sunday.
While Phalodi again topped the charts, Barmer followed with 49°C. Bikaner experienced intense heat at 48.6°C, while Jaisalmer and Ganganagar reached 48.5°C and 47.8°C, respectively. Churu and Pilani recorded temperatures of 47.6°C and 47.4°C, with Kota not far behind at 47.1°C. Jodhpur and Jaipur also endured high temperatures, with readings of 46.4°C and 45.6°C, respectively.
Some respite is expected from May 29 onwards with a 2-3°C drop in maximum temperatures, the Met department said. “From May 29, there is a possibility of a 2-3 degree Celsius drop in the maximum temperature in some parts of the state. In the first week of June, the maximum temperature is expected to be around normal in most areas,” it said, adding that the intensity and areal coverage of the ongoing heatwave is expected to reduce from May 29.
“Between May 27 and 29, strong surface winds (storm) at speeds of 25-35 km/h are expected in some parts of the Jodhpur, Bikaner, Ajmer, and Jaipur divisions,” the department.
In the last one week, 33 people are suspected to have died due heatwave-related symptoms in the state.
The state health department, however, has said there was only one confirmed death due to heatstroke, which was reported from Ajmer. According to the health department data, a total of 2,809 cases of heat stroke have been reported in the state since March 1. There were reports of Jaisalmer hitting a maximum temperature of 55°C, but the Met department did not confirm the record. According to IMD data, the district recorded 48.5°C. Radhey Shyam Sharma, the director of the meteorological centre in Jaipur, said that the state has witnessed similar heatwave episodes in the past