Rajasthan gears up for severe heatwave; Delhi feels the heat at 44 degrees Celsius

Jaipur: The Met Department has predicted Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions over many parts of Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, West Rajasthan, some parts of East Rajasthan, West Uttar Pradesh and West Madhya Pradesh on May 21.
Faced with these severe heat conditions, the health department of Rajasthan has been set on alert and proper arrangements to provide relief to the patients suffering from the heatwave are being made.
Dr Ravi Prakash, Director of the Rajasthan Health Department said, "In the view of severe heatwave and upon getting alerted by the Central Government, we have trained our 570 medical officers in this regard."
"Regional Meteorological Department alerts us in advance about the weather conditions. We have prepared accordingly for districts with red, orange and yellow alerts. Efforts are being made to provide proper treatment to patients suffering from heatstroke. Rest, all the guidelines have been sent to the officials in each district. Health Department of Rajasthan has made sufficient arrangements," said Dr Ravi Prakash.
The Met Department has predicted a maximum temperature of 44 degrees in Delhi for Tuesday. Earlier, on Monday, the Najafgarh area of the capital city of Delhi was the hottest place in the country with the highest temperature of 47.8 degrees Celsius.
The premier weather forecasting agency, IMD (India Meteorological Department), held out no immediate respite from the searing and scalding heatwave and has issued a red wave alert for Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh, stating that the heatwave will continue for a few days.
The weather department IMD also forecasted heatwave conditions in states like Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Saurashtra, and Kutch.
Temperatures have been marked above normal (with an increase of 5.1 degrees or more) in many places, including Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Assam, Meghalaya, and Bihar.
An area is considered to be in the grip of a heatwave if the maximum temperature at a weather station reaches at least 40°C and at least 30°C or more for hilly regions.
In response to the unrelenting heatwave, IMD has advised staying hydrated by drinking sufficient water, even if not thirsty, and consuming ORS and homemade drinks like lassi, Torani (rice water), lemon water, and buttermilk. They also recommend avoiding heat exposure, covering the head with a hat or umbrella, and wearing light-coloured, loose, and cotton clothes to stay safe.