NDMA issues ‘worse than toilet’ warning for Noida, Ghaziabad and other UP districts as heat wave grips Delhi-NCR | Today’s news
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a warning to residents of Noida and Ghaziabad on Wednesday, warning of “worse than a toilet” conditions, according to the Hindustan Times. This comes amid a severe heat wave that has swept across Delhi-NCR, with the national capital experiencing the second consecutive day of extreme heat.
A warning has been issued for districts including Aligarh, Etah, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Hathras, Kanpur Nagar, Mainpuri, Mathura, Mirzapur and Bhadohi due to the likelihood of extremely hot and dry winds, the report said.
The NDMA warning also used the term “loo se bhi bheeshan loo”, meaning that the wind is likely to be even stronger and more intense than usual loo conditions.
Weather in Delhi
Wednesday also became the fifth heat wave day recorded in New Delhi this year. According to an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official, heatwave conditions were earlier observed on April 23, 24 and 25 and also on May 19.
Temperatures hovered near 45C as the Meteorological Department continued its orange alert for the next few days, warning of persistent heatwaves.
According to the IMD, heat waves were reported at isolated places across New Delhi. At Safdarjung base station, the maximum temperature reached 44.5 degrees Celsius, which was 4.1 degrees above normal and 0.6 degrees less than the previous day.
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Palam station recorded 44.9°C, 3.6 degrees above normal, showing a slight 24-hour drop of 0.2°C. At Lodhi Road, the maximum temperature was 44.6°C, 5.6 degrees above normal and 0.6°C lower than the previous day. The Ridge station reported the highest temperature in the city at 45.8°C, 4.3 degrees above normal, with a drop of 0.7°C in 24 hours. Meanwhile, Ayanagar recorded 45°C, 2.9 degrees above normal, down 0.5°C from the previous day.
On the minimum temperature front, Safdarjung recorded 28.3°C, 1.8 degrees above normal and 0.1°C higher than the previous day, while Palam recorded 28.5°C, 1.4 degrees above normal with an increase of 0.4°C in 24 hours. The Ridge saw a minimum of 28C, 1.3 degrees above normal and a marginal drop of 0.1C. Lodhi Road reported 26.8°C, 2.8 notches above normal with a slight drop of 0.2°C, and Ayanagar recorded 27°C, 0.5 notches above normal with a drop of 0.4°C.
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The IMD defines a heat wave as a condition where the maximum temperature exceeds 40°C and remains 4.5°C to 6.4°C above normal. The Met Office has issued an orange warning for Thursday, predicting minimum temperatures of around 28°C and highs of up to 46°C.
The expert reacts
According to PTI, Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather said, “The heatwave conditions are expected to continue into next week. North-westerly winds have been blowing towards the state capital from the Thar Desert region of Rajasthan and parts of central Pakistan for the last few days. Traveling over vast dry stretches, these winds will become severely drying as they surface near Delhi and become trapped in the city.”
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Palawat said night temperatures have remained elevated in recent days due to severe daytime overheating as the country is unable to quickly rid itself of accumulated heat, resulting in persistently warm nights. He noted that the absence of any forecast for thunderstorms or pre-monsoon rainfall in the next 10 days worsens the situation, while dry northwesterly winds prevent cooling and trap heat in the region.
According to him, these prevailing weather conditions are expected to continue for the next few days, which is likely to push several areas across Delhi-NCR into heatwave conditions. He also pointed out that the city’s air quality has deteriorated due to dusty north-westerly winds and extremely dry weather, resulting in higher pollution levels, particularly an increase in PM10 concentrations.
“Residents must remain vigilant as prolonged dry spells and soaring temperatures can significantly increase the risk of heat-related illnesses and heatstroke,” he said.
