Delhi is likey to experience a heatwave from April 16 till April 18 with temperatures ranging between 40 degrees Celsius and 42 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The advisory issued by IMD mentioned a broader warning for various parts of the country as temperatures are expected to increase in the coming days.
“A fresh spell of heatwave likely to commence over parts of the Northwest India and over Gujarat from 15th April,” said IMD in an official statement.
IMD further stated that West Rajasthan is likely to experience heat wave conditions at isolated or a few locations on April 14 and 15, with severe heatwave conditions expected in isolated pockets from April 16 to 18.
Meanwhile, Gujarat is expected to experience heatwave conditions at isolated places between April 15 and 17. The heatwave warning covers Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, East Rajasthan and West Madhya Pradesh. According to IMD, East Rajasthan may experience severe heatwave conditions on April 18.
Summer Action Plan Delayed
According to The Hindu, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had declared that this year’s heat action plan will be ready before onset of summer. However, the plan, which underscores steps to tackle extreme heat and humidity, is yet to announced by the government.
“We are working with last year’s action plan. The new action plan will be released soon, but it will not be drastically different from last year’s,” an official told The Hindu.
As per a study published in March by Sustainable Futures Collaborative (SFC), heatwave preparedness in Delhi and nine Indian cities is lacking in terms of long-term actions and the existing measures are poorly targeted. The study revealed that these cities focus only on immediate responses.
