Ahmedabad: Gujarat is being scorched by an early and savage heatwave, with temperatures forecast to hit an alarming 41–42°C in several district. Even as residents felt the heat’s brutal impact — dizzy spells, burning skin and nausea — on Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) upgraded the heatwave warnings for Tuesday and Wednesday. A red alert has been issued for Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Kutch, Surendranagar, Morbi, Rajkot, Porbandar, Junagadh and Surat districts for Tuesday.
Ashok Kumar Das, director of IMD Gujarat, said, “Maximum temperatures is likely to touch 41-42°C in districts with red alert. The alert is due to high maximum as well as minimum temperatures, meaning no relief from the heat. The alert is expected to be downgraded to an orange alert in some districts on Wednesday.”
The orange alert for Wednesday has been issued for Banaskantha, Kutch, Surendranagar and Rajkot districts.
On Monday, too, the IMD updated its weather forecase to issue orange alert for some parts of the state.
On Monday, the city’s maximum temperature reached 40.4°C, which was 6.2 degrees above normal. The minimum temperature at 20.8°C, was 2.9 degrees higher than normal.
The sudden spike in maximum temperature – a rise of about seven degrees in a matter of six days – took its toll as citizens reported symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and a burning sensation on the skin.
Prerak Parekh, a college student, said that while a mild breeze provided some relief in the morning, the intensity of the heat kicked in around 2pm. “I was out with friends and did not realise the heat had grown intense. I felt dizzy and requested my friends to wait a moment. They rushed to get some buttermilk for me and helped me to a shaded area where I rested for a while before resuming the journey. Some of my friends too felt light-headed,” he said. “The spike in temperature is sudden, and very early. It is not even Holi yet.”
Local physicians said that it is a misconception that heat shock can only be felt in the afternoon hours. They added that the lack of cooling during the night exacerbates the situation. The doctors advised people to wear light clothes, cover their heads, stay hydrated and take extra precautions during heatwaves.