In maps & charts: Intense heatwave grips India, relief soon in some parts | India News

NEW DELHI: India has been sizzling and sweltering for the last few days amid an intense heatwave which has forced millions to take cover indoors.
The Indian Meteorology Department (IMD) has said that heatwave conditions are likely to abate over Delhi and adjoining parts of northwest India from Monday.
But with temperatures hovering above the punishing 40-degree mark, many states are unlikely to get relief from the scorching heat in the next days.

Sizzling Sunday
According to the IMD, maximum temperatures on Sunday (May 1) remained in the bracket of 43-47°C over most parts of Rajasthan, Vidarbha, Telangana, in some parts of Haryana, Delhi, West Madhya Pradesh and in isolated pockets of East Madhya Pradesh, north Madhya Maharashtra, Marathawada, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Rayalaseema and Chhattisgarh.
Temperatures of 40-42°C were observed in isolated pockets of northern parts of Odisha and Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

The map above indicates how most parts of the country were on grips of intense heat on Sunday.
The IMD said that maximum temperatures were above normal in most parts of India. Maximum temperatures were above normal by 5°C n Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan & Muzaffarabad and West Rajasthan.

Minimum temperatures, too, were above normal (5.1°C or more) at most places over Punjab, at a few places over West Rajasthan and at isolated places over East Rajasthan.

Churu sizzles at 44.8°C
The weather department said that on Monday, Rajasthan’s Churu recorded the highest temperatures at 44.8°C.
Mercury in J&K, Delhi, eastern UP, parts of J&K and coastal Odisha rose by 1-2°C on Monday, according to the IMD bulletin till 2.45pm.
Record power demand in national capital
With heatwave conditions continuing unabated, the peak power demand in Delhi rose to 6,194 MW on Monday, the highest ever for the first week of May.
Delhi’s ever-increasing peak power demand is now expected to cross 8,200 MW during the summers of 2022.
Relief for northwest, central India

The IMD bulletin did not issue heatwave warning for any state for the next 5 days, except for Rajasthan and parts of Maharashtra.
According to IMD, temperatures are expected to fall over most parts of northwest and central India in the coming days.