Blazing sun, hot winds sear UP on high flame

Lucknow: Severe heatwave conditions continued to grip large parts of UP on Saturday, with Banda emerging as the hottest place in the state at a scorching 46.2 degrees Celsius. Prayagraj followed closely with 46 degrees Celsius, while Jhansi recorded 44.9 degrees Celsius amid intense heat across the region.Weather department officials predicted that as hot winds continue to lash the state, temperature will be on the rise and Bundelkhand and its adjoining areas will record higher temperature in day and warm nights.According to India Meteorological Department data, Varanasi registered 44.7 degrees Celsius and Hamirpur recorded 44.6 degrees Celsius. Sultanpur also witnessed extreme heat, with mercury touching 44.4 degrees Celsius. Kanpur, Rae Bareli and Fatehgarh each recorded a maximum temperature of 44.2 degrees Celsius, indicating widespread heatwave conditions across central and eastern parts of the state.Soaring temperatures and hot winds kept people indoors during afternoon hours, while roads and markets wore a deserted look in several districts. Weather officials said dry conditions and strong solar radiation were contributing to the sharp rise in day temperatures across UP.IMD Lucknow senior scientist Mohammad Danish said, “A few places in southern parts of west UP are likely to experience heatwave conditions during daytime on Sunday. East UP is also very likely to witness heatwave to severe heatwave conditions at a few places, while warm night conditions may prevail at isolated locations.”Danish added that isolated places in west UP may witness thunderstorms and lightning accompanied by gusty winds with speeds reaching 40 to 50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph. But there is no respite in sight for Bundelkhand and its adjoining areas, including central and eastern UP, in the coming days.