Lucknow,

22 May (HS): The Meteorological Centre has issued a red alert for ten districts

in the state for Friday, warning of extreme to very severe heatwave conditions.

The notice has been issued for the districts of Banda, Chitrakoot, Kaushambi,

Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Pratapgarh, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Bhadohi, and Jaunpur,

where extreme heatwave conditions are expected during the day. Baghpat, Meerut,

Ghaziabad, Hapur, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Mathura, and Agra

are among the 34 districts that have received an orange warning.

The

meteorological department has also issued a yellow notice in 17 districts,

including Deoria, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Farrukhabad, Lucknow,

Barabanki, and Ayodhya. According to the MeT, maximum temperatures in

eastern Uttar Pradesh are projected to climb steadily by 2-3 degrees Celsius

over the next 48 hours, while no significant change is forecast elsewhere this

week.

According

to the meteorological office's warning categorization, a yellow alert signifies

that heatwave conditions will last two days. Residents should be prepared since

extreme heatwave conditions might last two days or four days with variable

intensities. A red alert signals that immediate action is required because

extreme heatwave conditions are expected to last more than two days and

represent a substantial public health risk. A strong heat wave blasted over UP

on Thursday, with Banda registering the state's highest maximum temperature of

47.6 degrees Celsius. Prayagraj registered 46.6 degrees Celsius, followed by

Varanasi (BHU) at 45.6 degrees Celsius, Sultanpur and Hamirpur at 45.2 degrees

Celsius apiece, Fursatganj at 45.1 degrees Celsius, and Jhansi at 44.8 degrees

Celsius.

Lucknow

had a high temperature of 43.6 degrees Celsius, 3.4 degrees above average, and

a low temperature of 29 degrees Celsius, 3.5 degrees above normal. According to

the MeT, the city's greatest relative humidity was 59% and the low humidity was

15%. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed all departments to remain on

high alert and take precautions to prevent heat-related illnesses, while also

instructing district administrations, hospitals, power, and relief departments

to keep adequate stocks of medicines, beds, IV fluids, drinking water, and

round-the-clock ambulance services, as well as to be prepared for fires. The

India Meteorological Department has linked the current exceptional

circumstances to the lack of an active meteorological system, clear sky that

contribute to increased radiational heating, and hot, dry westerly winds.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi