Lucknow, May 20 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh is reeling under intense heat and heatwave conditions, with Banda remaining the hottest city in the country for the third consecutive day, recording a temperature of 48.2 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, 4.7 degrees above normal.
The previous two days saw temperatures of 47.6 degrees and 46.4 degrees Celsius in Banda too.
The Lucknow Meteorological Centre has issued a red alert for severe heatwave conditions for May 20 and 21. This warning applies to 11 districts, including Banda, Chitrakoot, Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Agra, Firozabad, Etawah, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba, and Jhansi.
Mohammad Danish, senior scientist at the Meteorological Centre, said, "Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to prevail during the day in many parts of the southern part of the state and in some parts of the rest of the region." He said that nights will also be unusually hot in some places, providing no relief from the day's heat.
The department has warned that severe heatwaves are likely in 14 districts. These include Kaushambi, Pratapgarh, Chandauli, Varanasi, Ballia, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur City, Rae Bareli, Auraiya, and Lalitpur.
The weather will remain dry across the state, with strong surface winds blowing at speeds of 20 to 40 km per hour. Nights are expected to remain hot in western Uttar Pradesh for the next 48 hours, after which an orange alert may be issued.
On Tuesday, several cities in Uttar Pradesh sweltered above 40 degrees Celsius. Jhansi and Agra recorded 46.5°C, Prayagraj 45.8°C, Orai 45.2°C, Kanpur IAF 44.8°C, Kanpur City 44°C, Meerut 43.6°C, Aligarh 43.4°C, Churak 43.2°C and Etawah 43°C.
The day temperature in Lucknow was 40.9°C and the night temperature was 27.8°C. The maximum and minimum temperatures in Lucknow are expected to be around 42°C and 28°C respectively on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a report from Varanasi said the increasing heatwave, and humidity have caused immense distress to people.
However, whether it's hot or cold, nothing can stop faith. Even amidst the intense heat, devotees continue to flock to the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham for darshan and worship.
The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust has made special arrangements to provide relief from the heat to devotees visiting the shrine. ORS solution and glucose have been provided at various locations throughout the shrine, ensuring relief for visitors from the intense heat.
The Temple Trust has also arranged for a health center, ambulances, and trained personnel to deal with any emergency or adverse situation. If a devotee falls ill, they are immediately provided with medical assistance and transported to the hospital for treatment.
Executive Officer Vishwa Bhushan Mishra stated that high-quality jute mats have been laid throughout the shrine complex to protect devotees' feet from the hot floor. German hangers and tensile structures have been installed to provide adequate shade along the darshan path. Mist fans have also been installed to reduce the heat and provide coolness to devotees.
Currently, severe heat and a heat wave are prevailing throughout the Varanasi district, with temperatures hovering between 43 and 45 degrees Celsius. Despite these adverse conditions, devotees' unwavering faith in Baba Shri Kashi Vishwanath remains unwavering. On average, approximately 150,000 devotees visit Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham daily for darshan.
Keeping in mind the convenience, safety, and health of devotees, the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust has ensured extensive and special arrangements within the Dham complex. Purified RO water coolers have been installed at various locations within the Dham complex as per the SOPs set by the Temple Trust. In areas where water coolers are not available, arrangements have been made for cold water in large pots, and temple staff are continuously providing drinking water to devotees through glasses.
The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust has appealed to devotees to avoid visiting during the extremely hot afternoon hours, and to begin their journey only after consuming food and sufficient water at home. The elderly, the infirm, and those who are unwell are advised to exercise special caution.
UNI XC-MBD ARN