New Delhi: Mercury continued to soar across the country on Friday, mostly in central and peninsular states where several pockets recorded high temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius.
Heat wave has claimed 35 lives in Telangana, where the government has advanced summer holidays for schools to April 16 from April 24, keeping in view the rising temperatures. The highest maximum temperature of 44 degrees Celsius in the state was recorded in Nizamabad district.
In Odisha too, more than 30 people have died due to heat stroke.
Maximum temperature in Delhi settled at 42.2 degrees Celsius, four notches above normal, a MeT official said.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) said its weather stations at 25 places across the country recorded mercury over 40 degree Celsius.
Heatwave conditions prevailed in West and East Madhya Pradesh, Vidharbha region of Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, East and West Rajasthan, Telangana, Rayalseema region of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, it said.
Mercury at several places, majority of them in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, settled between 40 and 45 degrees Celsius.
Heatwave conditions are also expected in Marathwada and central parts of Maharashtra, IMD said. Wardha in Vidarbha region recorded the highest temperature of 45 degrees Celsius, followed by Chandrapur at 44.6 degrees.
In Odisha, the MeT office said Sonepur recorded the highest temperature of 45.8 degrees Celsius. State capital Bhubaneswar recorded maximum of 40.2 degress Celsius.
In Rajasthan, mercury hovered above 40 degrees at most places, with Kota recording the highest of 43.4 degrees Celsius.
Churu, Sriganganagar, Jaisalmer and Jaipur recorded day temperatures of 43.3, 42.3, 42.2 and 41 degree Celsius, respectively, local MeT office said.
