High temperatures and a widening rainfall deficit continued to pressure the country’s power situation. Maximum temperatures were 40-43 degrees Celsius in parts of West Rajasthan and Punjab, as per Indian Meteorological Department data on June 25.
Punjab and Bihar witnessed heat wave conditions on June 24, according to data released by the country’s weather service. However, it noted that the situation is likely to improve in Northwest and Central India.
“No significant change in maximum temperatures very likely over Northwest & Central India during next 2 days and fall by 2-4°C thereafter,” IMD said.
The rainfall deficit widened to 18.6% across the country; northern India still faces huge deficits compared to other parts.
Rajasthan continued to face the highest energy shortages, according to data released on Tuesday.
A Moneycontrol analysis of data by IMD shows that heat wave days faced by north Indian states increased further in the third week of June compared with the previous week, with some of the sub-divisions like Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh experiencing seven heat wave days between June 13 and June 19.
A heat wave is described when maximum temperatures reach over 40 degrees Celsius in plains and over 30 degrees Celsius in hilly regions and are 4.5 to 6.4 degrees Celsius above normal for two consecutive days at two stations.
Meanwhile, the monsoon tracker indicates that north Indian states are yet to receive normal rainfall, as most states are staring at rainfall deficits of over 50%. Punjab’s deficit has widened to 77%, whereas Chandigarh faces a 93% deficit.
This is also impacting reservoir levels across the country. India’s average reservoir levels are down 9% compared with the previous year.
Power data indicates India faced an energy shortage of 11.6 million units on June 24 compared with 10.8 million units the previous day.
