Heatwave across India: Bhira in Maharashtra records 46.5 degrees; IMD to verify readings

New Delhi: Bhira, situated in Raigadh district of Maharashtra, recorded an unusually high 46.5 degrees Celsius on Tuesday even as several parts of the country reeled under sweltering heat.

With Bhira witnessing high temperature, which was also the highest in the country, India Meteorological Departmen said they would like to verify the findings. which was a first for Bhira that never crossed the 45-degree mark before. Tuesday's reading was also the first for Bhira which never crossed 45-degree mark before.

"When the temperature (at Bhira) was reported to be 46.5 degree Celsius, we realised that something is wrong as no other place nearby recorded so high a temperature," S G Kamble, divisional In charge of Regional Meteorological Department, Colaba in Mumbai, said.

"Bhira village is located in the Sahyadri mountains and is close to a dam. The mountains are covered with forest. The height of the mountains around Bhira would be minimum 2,000 feet. In such a situation, if the mapping centre shows 46.5 degree, it should be doubted," he said.

Those doing the temperature mapping at Bhira are not the employees of IMD but trained by it, he said. A team of IMD officials will now verify the findings.

Akola, also in Maharashtra, recorded 44.1 degree Celsius, Barmer in Rajasthan recorded a high of 43.4 degrees Celsius while Narnaul in Haryana sizzled at 42 degrees Celsius, nine degrees above normal.

Ludhiana in Punjab recorded seven degrees above normal 36.7 degrees.

In Uttar Pradesh, the maximum temperature crossed 40 degree Celsius in Varanasi, Allahabad, Hamirpur and Agra.

Meanwhile, it was a hot day in Delhi with the mercury settling six notches above normal at 38.2 degrees Celsius.

Temperature in Dehradun as well as Srinagar was recorded much above the normal for this part of the year.

With Bhira doubtful, an IMD official said that Akola was, according to them, the hottest place in the country on Wednesday. Wardha, Nagpur and Chandrapur recorded 43 degree Celsius.

Unlike Bhira, there were no doubts in Uttar Pradesh where heat-wave like conditions prevailed over most parts with the mercury crossing 40 degree Celsius in Varanasi, Allahabad, Hamirpur and Agra.

The Met office said Varanasi and Agra were the hottest place in the state recorded 41.4 degrees, followed by Hamirpur at 41.2 deg C. It predicted hot weather conditions in various parts of the state in the next 24 hours.

The onset of Heat wave conditions very likely to prevail at many places over West Madhya Pradesh, few places over East Madhya Pradesh and at isolated places over Chhattisgarh.

There were predictions of a "mild heat wave" in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh has been witnessing crossing 40-degree Celsius mark regularly in the last few days.

IMD, in its summer forecast for the season has predicted 'above normal' temperature across the country - at least up to June, adding that several states may face heatwave conditions. It also said that the northwest region of the country would be the worst affected with temperatures of more than one degree Celsius above normal.

(With PTI inputs)