New Delhi, May 24, 2020: Several parts of India are now experiencing a heat wave as the country is struggling to contain the fast spreading coronavirus pandemic in its third stage.

A severe heat wave is declared when the maximum temperature is at least 40°C and more than 6.4°C higher than the normal; or when the maximum temperature is more than 47°C.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said severe heat waves are likely to impact parts of northwest, central and peninsular India in the next four to five days.

The weather bureau has issued an orange alert for Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh from May 24 to 27 for heatwave; in west and east Rajasthan for heatwave and severe heatwave; and in Vidarbha for heatwave.

An orange alert is issued when a heatwave is likely to persist for more than four days or a severe heatwave for more than two days.

Given below are the current hottest cities in the country:

Churu and Ganganagar in Rajasthan top the list with 46.6 degree Celsius. Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh registered Jhansi 46.1 on May 23, followed by Agra in the same state with 46.

Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh and Akola and Nagpur in Maharashtra also registered 46 degrees.

Gwalior city in Madhya Pradesh touched 45.9, while Delhi’s Palam recorded 45.6.

Other cities with more than 40 degrees are: Bilaspur (44.6), Raipur (44.4), Medak (44), Bhopal (43.8), Jaipur (43.6), Hyderabad (42.8) and Chandigarh (41.4).

Source: The Hindustan Times