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The India Meteorological Department has issued a heat wave alert over Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana for the next three to four days.
The department has also issued a thunderstorm warning over Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya.
The heat wave is the result of an anti-cyclone over Pakistan and western Rajasthan, the impact of which is being felt across the northern plains.
Severe heat wave conditions are likely at Rajasthan, West Madhya Pradesh, Saurashtra,Kutch, Vidarbha and East Madhya Pradesh during next 3-4 days.
Heat wave conditions are likely in Punjab, Haryana, south Uttar Pradesh and central Maharashtra at the same time, the IMD said.
The heat wave over Marathwada is expected to be from April 16 to 18, and at isolated places over Chhattisgarh on April 17 and 18.
“Heatwave conditions at isolated places are very likely over the lower reaches of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during next 3-4 days,” the IMD said.
Thunderstorms accompanied by thunder squall are also “very likely” at isolated places over the north eastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura from April 16 to 18.
The IMD has also predicted “very heavy rainfall” over Andaman islands during the next 24 hours due to cyclone Maarutha.
Image: A boy jumps into a pond to cool off on a hot summer day. Photograph: Jayanta Dey/Reuters