The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for heatwave conditions in several parts of Gujarat over the coming week, with temperatures likely to rise by 2°C to 3°C after the next 48 hours.
According to the IMD’s mid-day bulletin released on Thursday, isolated areas of Rajkot, Dwarka and Kutch are expected to witness heatwave conditions from May 9. The heatwave is likely to spread to more districts in north Gujarat, central Gujarat and the Saurashtra region in the following days.
The weather department said maximum temperatures may stay above 40°C in isolated parts of the state during the next seven days. Rajkot recorded Gujarat’s highest maximum temperature on Wednesday at 42.9°C, which was above normal for the season.
On May 10, heatwave conditions are likely in Banaskantha, Vadodara, Surat, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Dwarka, Gir Somnath and Kutch, along with Diu.
The alert is expected to intensify on May 11 and 12, with districts such as Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Patan, Anand and Banaskantha also likely to experience heatwave conditions at isolated places.
The IMD has advised people, especially infants, elderly citizens and those suffering from chronic illnesses, to avoid prolonged exposure to heat. Residents have been urged to wear light cotton clothes, cover their heads while stepping outdoors and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
Meanwhile, isolated light to moderate rain or thundershowers are likely on Thursday in Dahod, Chhota Udepur, Narmada, Tapi and Dang districts, as well as parts of Saurashtra including Rajkot, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Gir Somnath and Botad. However, dry weather is expected across the state during the rest of the forecast period.