There seems to be no respite from the sweltering heat for the residents of Northwest India, including Delhi, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a stark warning on Monday of impending heatwave to severe heatwave conditions over the next five days in the region.

As temperatures increased to alarming 48-degree Celsius mark in Delhi's Najafgarh and red alerts issued for the national Capital and extensive regions of northwest India, the severity of the situation cannot be overstated. This has also pushed the country's peak power demand to hover near the projected 235 GW level in May, following excessive use of cooling appliances like air conditioners and desert coolers.

According to the Union Power Ministry data, the peak power demand or the highest supply in the day has already reached 233 GW on May 6 compared to 221.42 GW recorded a year ago

The IMD said scorching heatwave conditions will persist in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh-Delhi, and West Rajasthan; in some parts of West Uttar Pradesh, East Rajasthan, and northwest Madhya Pradesh during May 20 to May 24, 2024.

Also, the heatwave conditions are likely to be over North Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat during the period.

Health experts said this extreme weather not only poses significant health risks but also disrupts daily life and challenges the day to day activities of the people.

“In the face of such adversity, urgent measures are needed to safeguard the well-being of citizens and mitigate the impact of this blistering heatwave,” they said.

This relentless heatwave has not spared other regions, with Agra in Uttar Pradesh, Datia in North Madhya Pradesh, and Ganganagar in Rajasthan, among others, reeling under soaring temperatures which were on the throes of crossing 45 degree Celsius.

On Sunday, while the highest temperature recorded was in Najafgarh, Delhi at 47.8°C, followed closely by Agra in West Uttar Pradesh at 47.7°C. These conditions have already been observed extensively in Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi, with significant heat affecting Punjab and isolated areas of West Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, and northwest Madhya Pradesh.

Additionally, many parts of West Rajasthan and some areas in Himachal Pradesh and East Rajasthan have been experiencing intense heat. Isolated regions of East Uttar Pradesh and northeast Madhya Pradesh have also been affected.

Specifically, the Gujarat region has been enduring heatwave conditions since May 15, while Saurashtra and Kutch have been affected since May 16. The heatwave has spread to Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan since May 17, according to IMD. Moreover, warm nights have been recorded in parts of Rajasthan.

As per the IMD, isolated heatwave conditions are expected in East Uttar Pradesh on May 21 and 22, as well as in Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, and northeast Madhya Pradesh from May 20 to 24.

Odisha is expected to experience heatwaves from May 21 to 23. Furthermore, hot and humid weather is anticipated in Konkan and Goa, Bihar, and Jharkhand on May 21, and in Gangetic West Bengal and Odisha on May 20.

Warm nights are also predicted in West Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan from May 20 to 24, which could exacerbate the discomfort caused by the ongoing heatwave.