Red alert in 10 UP districts as heatwave intensifies across state

The Meteorological Centre in Lucknow has issued a red alert for 10 districts in Uttar Pradesh for Friday, warning of “severe” to “very severe” heatwave conditions.

The red alert has been issued for Banda, Chitrakoot, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Pratapgarh, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Bhadohi and Jaunpur districts, where severe heatwave conditions are likely during the day.

An orange alert has been issued for 34 districts, including Baghpat, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Mathura and Agra.

The weather office has also sounded a yellow alert for 17 districts, including Deoria, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Farrukhabad, Lucknow, Barabanki and Ayodhya.

According to the MeT department, maximum temperatures are expected to rise gradually by 2-3 degrees Celsius in eastern Uttar Pradesh over the next 48 hours, while no major change is likely in the rest of the state during the week.

Under the warning classification issued by the weather office, a yellow alert means people should remain updated as heatwave conditions may continue for two days.

An orange alert advises residents and authorities to remain prepared as severe heatwave conditions may persist for two days or heatwave conditions of varying intensity may continue for four days or more.

A red alert calls for immediate action as severe heatwave conditions are expected to continue for more than two days and may pose a serious risk to public health.

The intense heatwave continued across Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, with Banda recording the highest maximum temperature in the state at 47.6 degrees Celsius.

Prayagraj recorded 46.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Varanasi (BHU) at 45.6 degrees Celsius, Sultanpur and Hamirpur at 45.2 degrees Celsius each, Fursatganj at 45.1 degrees Celsius, and Jhansi at 44.8 degrees Celsius.

Lucknow recorded a maximum temperature of 43.6 degrees Celsius, which was 3.4 degrees above normal, while the minimum temperature settled at 29 degrees Celsius, 3.5 degrees above normal.

The city also reported maximum relative humidity of 59 per cent and minimum humidity of 15 per cent, according to the MeT department.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed all departments to remain on full alert and ensure measures to prevent heat-related illnesses. He instructed district administrations, hospitals, power and relief departments to maintain adequate stocks of medicines, beds, IV fluids, drinking water and round-the-clock ambulance services, while also ensuring preparedness against fires.

The India Meteorological Department said the prevailing extreme weather conditions were caused by the absence of any active weather system, clear skies leading to enhanced radiational heating and hot, dry westerly winds.