In hottest day of season, city burns at 45.4°C

Jaipur: Most of Rajasthan will remain in the grip of a severe heat wave over the next few days, the Met office said Thursday, though some respite is likely from Friday with a chance of dust storms and mild showers in Jaipur, Bikaner, Ajmer and Bharatpur divisions. Dust storms, thunderstorm activity and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph are forecast for Friday and Saturday, but “there is not going to be any respite in western Rajasthan in the coming days,” the Met office said.

On Thursday, the state saw no let-up in scorching conditions as Jaipur recorded its hottest day of the season so far, with a maximum temperature of 45.4°C. Sriganganagar was the hottest in the state at 47.1°C, Met reports said.

Sriganganagar was followed by Churu at 46.5°C, while Pilani and Kota recorded 46.4°C each. Alwar and Jaisalmer touched 46°C each, Bikaner 45.3°C, Dausa 44.8°C, Karauli 44.3°C, Barmer and Jhunjhunu 43.9°C each, and Bhilwara and Chittorgarh 43.8°C each.

In Jaipur, the minimum temperature was 32.8°C, nearly four degrees above normal. Roads and markets thinned out during the afternoon as people stayed indoors, with traffic dropping in several commercial areas. Roadside vendors and labourers were among the worst affected due to prolonged exposure.

Hospitals and clinics reported a rise in dehydration, heat exhaustion, headaches and dizziness, especially among children, the elderly and outdoor workers. Power demand also climbed as air conditioner and cooler use surged, with many localities reporting higher electricity load through the afternoon and evening.