New Delhi:  The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Delhi, UP, Haryana and Punjab amid an intense heatwave that has swept the national capital and surrounding states over the last week. Temperatures are soaring above 46 degrees across north India including in Uttarakhand, Bihar and Jharkhand. In Bihar, 22 people died due to severe heat and high humidity in the last 24 hours.

Delhi "feels-like" 50 degrees Celsius

In the national capital, the maximum temperature is likely to settle around 45 degrees Celsius, over 6 degrees higher than the normal temperature for June. According to IMD, the heat index, or the feels-like temperature, in Delhi surged to 50 degrees Celsius on Monday.

A Delhi to West Bengal IndiGo flight was delayed by over three hours on Monday due to a technical snag which resulted from high ground temperatures. While the national capital will experience slight relief from Wednesday due to scattered rains and duststorms, no long-term relief is in sight for now.

Temperatures rise across Uttarakhand, J&K

In Uttarakhand, Dehradun recorded a maximum temperature of 43.1 degrees Celsius while Mussorie sizzled at 43 degrees Celsius. Even hill towns like Pauri and Nainital are experiencing a heatwave after little to no rainfall in the last three months.

Hill state Himachal Pradesh has recorded a temperature of 44 degrees -- 6.7 notches above average. In Jammu and Kashmir, Katra recorded a maximum temperature of 40.8 degrees Celsius, while mercury touched 44.3 degrees in Jammu.

In UP's Prayagraj, the maximum temperature was recorded at 47.6 degrees Celsius.

Respite from heatwave soon?

As temperatures continue to soar, little relief from heat is expected in the next week. Former IMD Director General, KJ Ramesh told NDTV that respite from the sweeping heatwave was expected this week but a shift in winds through the Arabian Sea has delayed the cooling down of plains.

"Another reason is that the monsoon is stagnant over West Bengal since June 1. As long as monsoon does not cover these areas, north India will remain under a continuous heatwave," he said.

Mr Saxena, however, added that Delhi might experience some "intermittent relief" due to duststorms and scattered showers but they can only provide relief "for a few hours or half a day".

After Wednesday, a fresh western disturbance will approach northwest India, also affecting the national capital and bringing respite from the intense heat, according to the weather office.

"Real abatement of heat will occur only once monsoon arrives," he said, adding that it will take more than 12 days for monsoon to reach Delhi. 

"After June 27, most areas of Uttar Pradesh will get relief followed by western UP, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab," he said.

Source: NDTV