Severe heat wave grips western districts of West Bengal

Severe heat wave prevailed in the western districts of West Bengal on Saturday with Bankura recording the maximum at 47 degree Celsius and the Met office not predicting any rainfall in the next 48 hours.

Severe heat wave gripped Birbhum (44 degrees C), Burdwan (42.3 degrees C) and West Midnapur (45 degrees C) districts while Nadia, Murshidabad, Howrah, Purulia districts witnessed heat wave conditions with mercury touching 43 degrees C.

While Sriniketan recorded 44 degrees C, it was 43 degrees in Krishnanagar and 39 degrees C in Malda. Kolkata recorded a maximum of 38.5 degrees C while neighbouring Dumdum saw temperature rise to 40.6 degrees C, the Met office said. 

"There was no large change in today's maximum temperatures over the region. Those were appreciably markedly above normal at most places over Gangetic West Bengal. "The situation is absolutely not favourable. There is no forecast of any rains in the region in the next 48 hours. The severe heat wave is very likely to continue in Bankura, Birbhum and Burdwan districts. Heat wave is likely to continue in West Midnapur, Nadia, Murshidabad, Howrah and Purulia districts," Regional Meteorological Centre Director G C Debnath told PTI.

It will be sultry weather in the city with the maximum and minimumetan temperature likely around 39 degrees C and 28 degrees C respectively, he added.