Heatwave in India: IMD trains states as temperatures soar above normal

New Delhi: In wake of the country facing a structural shift in weather, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) is training state governments to improve their preparedness measures to deal with the persistent heatwaves.

Currently, some states across India are reeling under sweltering heat, with some cities recording temperatures above normal during this time of the year.

On Tuesday, Bhira town in Raigad district of Maharashtra recorded unusually high temperature of 46.5 degrees Celcius, more than 7 degrees Celsius above normal.

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

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

The maximum temperature in Delhi on Wednesday settled at 38.2 degrees Celsius, six notches above the season's average.

In 2016, there were 1,111 deaths from heatwave conditions in the country.

According to IMD, temperatures across India have been rising on an average of 0.7 degrees every decade, with 2016 the hottest so far.

In face of large casualties from heatwave conditions and as the country braces for extreme heatwave – like the one that claimed over 2000 lives in 2015 - the IMD has tied up with state disaster management commissioners and health secretaries to formulate plans.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), on its part, has reportedly prepared a standard operating procedure template and a sequence of actions to be triggered during a severe heatwave.

Heatwave, typically occurs between March and June - and in some rare cases even extend till July - is a period of abnormally high temperatures, more than the normal maximum temperature.

When actual maximum temperature remains 45 degrees Celcius or more irrespective of normal maximum temperature, heat waves should be declared, as per the NDMA. When temperatures soar above 47 degrees Celsius, it is known as a severe heatwave.

The health impacts of heatwaves typically involve dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and/or heat stroke.

The IMD had predicted that several states may witness heatwave conditions and that the northwest region of the country would be the worst affected with temperatures of more than one degree Celsius above normal.