Heavy rain and heat wave alert in many states in next few days, meeting of Health Ministers
India Meteorological Department (IMD) has projected heavy rainfall in many Indian states to prevail for the next few days. While Biparjoy triggered heavy downpour in Rajasthan on June 19, spells of rain continued to batter many parts of Tamil Nadu. Moreover, many states are also facing the brunt of intense heatwave, which is expected to continue for the next couple of days, as per the IMD.
Schools in Thirupathur and Thiruvannamalai will remain closed today (June 20) due to rain, informed the District administration. As a result of severe heatwave conditions prevailing in north and east India, Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a high-level meeting at 11.30 am today to review public health preparedness regarding heatwave across the country informed sources, reported news agency PTI.
Heavy rainfall alert in South India
Weather agency IMD forecasted “Light to fairly widespread rainfall with thunderstorm & lightning very likely over the region” during next 5 days. Isolated heavy rainfall is also likely over Tamil Nadu on 20th and in Coastal Andhra Pradesh until June 21.”
In the aftermath of severe Cyclonic storm Biparjoy, a well-marked low-pressure area (Remnant of Cyclonic Storm ‘Biparjoy’) will be formed over central parts of Northeast Rajasthan and accordingly, the cities of Sawaimadhopur, Baran and Kota are expected to receive heavy rainfall today (June 20), as per the IMD news bulletin.
Health Minister chairs meeting on heatwave preparedness
The heatwave conditions are also likely to continue in some states, according to IMD. The bulletin staed that above-normal maximum temperatures are very likely to continue in isolated pockets over East Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana during the next 2 days. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya presided over a meeting with senior officials earlier in the day to assess the preparedness in view of the severe heatwave in many states. NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Dr Rajiv Bahl and India Meteorological Department (IMD) experts joined the meeting.
Amid a severe heatwave in Ballia, 57 people who were admitted at Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia district hospital died in four days, following which a committee of the health department from Lucknow reached Ballia to ascertain the cause of deaths, officials said on June 18.
“As per records of the district hospital, of the 54 deaths, 40 per cent of the patients had fever, while 60 per cent were suffering from other diseases. So far, only two persons have died due to heat stroke in the district,” Chief Medical Officer Dr Jayant Kumar told PTI. Ballia, along with the entire central and eastern UP, has been reeling under sultry weather since the past few days. As per the Met office, the maximum temperature in Ballia was recorded at 43.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday, six notches above normal.
