PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, March 21: IMD’s Ranchi Met Centre today withdrew the heatwave forecast as Daltonganj and several other places in north-western Jharkhand experienced light rain since last night.
Daltonganj recorded 2.5 mm. Several other places in northwestern Jharkhand experienced light showers since last night.
Notably, Jharkhand was reeling under scorching heat with maximum temperature hovering around 40°C in most parts of the state, a weather department official said.
The department had on Sunday issued a heatwave alert for Garhwa, Palamu, Chatra, and Latehar districts, in the north-western part of the state.
Godda was the hottest district with the maximum temperature reaching 40.7°C during the past 24 hours, followed by Palamu with its headquarters Daltonganj recording the maximum at 40°C, the Ranchi Meteorological Centre said.
Capital Ranchi simmered at 36°C, while Jamshedpur at 38.1°C in the past 24 hours.
A heatwave is declared if the departure from the normal temperature is 4.5-6.4 degrees when the maximum reaches at least 40 degrees in the plains or 37 in the coastal weather stations. Few other criteria can also lead to its declaration.
On the impact of the heatwave, the meteorological centre, in its bulletin on Sunday, had said that it could lead to moderate health problems for vulnerable people such as infants, the elderly and people with chronic diseases.
