Mercury touches 47 degrees in Delhi, MeT warns of severe heat wave in North India

New Delhi:  The mercury touched a scorching 47 degrees Celsius in some part of the National Capital Region on Wednesday and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) declared an 'Orange Alert' asking people to take precautions against the heat wave.   "We advise people to stay cautious against the heat wave in Delhi. We are still gathering the latest data. We have declared an Orange Alert," a Met official told IANS.   According to private weather forecasters, the temperature in Palam and Noida soared to 47 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. The heat is mostly attributed to dry winds from the north-western direction.   "In Palam area of Delhi, the temperature reached 47 degrees Celsius. The condition in Gujarat is even worse as the temperature in Ahmedabad touched 50 degrees Celsius, later dropping to 49 degrees," private weather forecaster Skymet's director Mahesh Palawat told IANS. The MeT department has issued a "severe heat wave" warning for parts of north and central India, which are already reeling under the scorching sun, over the next three days. "Heat wave conditions continued to prevail at most places with severe heat wave at a few places over west Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and at isolated places over Haryana and Delhi, east Rajasthan, east Uttar Pradesh and central Maharashtra," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. In its forecast, the IMD has issued "severe heat wave" warning for Gujarat, west and east Rajasthan, west and east Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha, west and east Madhya Pradesh for the next three days. The condition will also continue in east and west Rajasthan until May 21. However, there could be some relief as the month ends, the weathermen said. In its earlier forecast, the IMD had said that heat wave conditions were already prevailing over parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Telangana. "These conditions are likely to spread over to some more areas comprising parts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Gujarat and north Madhya Maharashtra between May 17 and 21. They are likely to abate gradually during the remaining part of May," the IMD had said on Monday. Several parts of the country are reeling under intense heat, while the MeT department has predicted that the onset of monsoon will get delayed by six days. "The (heat) intensity is likely to reduce thereafter and gradually abate during May 27 to 31. "Day maximum and night minimum temperatures are likely to remain markedly above normal over entire northwest, west and central India during May 17 to 27. They are likely to fall to their respective normal or below normal values between May 27 and June 1," the IMD added. Meanwhile, several parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry continued to receive rains for the third day today owing to a depression.