Rain respite in Delhi, red alert in Andhra; Banda sizzles at 46°C: How heatwave is taking over India

LArge parts of northern, telephone exchange and western sandwich republic of india, including new delhi, persist in to reel under scorching heat, with temperatures crossing 40 degrees Celsius across multiple states and authorities scrambling to reduce the impact on daily life.While parts of the national capital received rain on Saturday morning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD)'s warning for heatwave in the city continues till May 28. The weather body warned that heatwave conditions are likely to persist over the coming days, with severe heatwave conditions already reported from parts of Uttar Pradesh and Vidarbha. Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, East Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Odisha and coastal Andhra Pradesh are also among the regions facing extreme temperatures.The IMD has maintained an Orange alert for Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and coastal Andhra Pradesh. A Red alert remains in force for southern Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha and north coastal Andhra Pradesh.Punjab alters school and office timingsAs temperatures climbed steadily, Punjab announced immediate changes in working hours for schools and government offices.Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said all government offices and both public and private schools in the state will operate from 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM starting May 25. The move is aimed at reducing exposure to peak afternoon heat, especially for children and employees commuting in extreme weather. Delhi sizzles despite brief dipDelhi received rainfall for a brief period on Saturday, bringing respite from heatwave conditions in the capital city. However, heat stress is expected to continue in Delhi till May 28. At the Ridge station, a formal heatwave condition was established after the maximum temperature reached 45.3 degrees Celsius on Friday.Other parts of the capital also reported oppressive heat, including 44.5 degrees Celsius in Ayanagar, 44.3 degrees Celsius in Lodhi Road and Palam, and 43.6 degrees Celsius in Safdarjung.The IMD has retained its heatwave alert for Delhi till May 28 and forecast temperatures in the range of 44 degrees Celsius to 46 degrees Celsiusover the next several days. Uttar Pradesh battles extreme conditionsSouthern Uttar Pradesh remains among the worst-affected regions in the country. The IMD has issued a severe heatwave warning for eastern Uttar Pradesh till May 28, while Banda district recorded a scorching 46.4 degrees Celsius. Gujarat and Uttarakhand also under ‘heat stress’Gujarat’s urban centres continued to record temperatures between 42 degrees Celsius and 43 degrees Celsius, prompting health officials to issue repeated warnings.In Rajkot, Medical Officer of Health Jayesh L Vakani urged residents to avoid stepping outdoors unnecessarily during afternoon hours.In Uttarakhand, officials described conditions in plains districts such as Dehradun and Haridwar as “heatwave-like”, with temperatures hovering between 40 degrees Celsius and 42 degrees Celsius.Relief in Shimla, alerts continue elsewhereWhile the plains struggled under relentless heat, some hill regions experienced a temporary shift in weather.Shimla and nearby districts recorded a drop of 6-8 degrees Celsius over the past 24 hours due to a western disturbance.IMD Senior Scientist Sandeep Kumar Sharma said rainfall accompanied by thunder may occur in parts of Chamba, Kangra and Kullu.