By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 13 Jun: Uttarakhand, known for its milder weather as compared to other neighbouring North Indian states, is currently experiencing intense heat wave. The Meteorological Department has issued a heat wave alert for several cities within the state. As per the alert issued by the State Weather Centre of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), residents and the tourists are advised to venture outside only when necessary. According to the department, no immediate respite is seen from the heat over the next two days. Even the typically cooler hill districts have reported temperatures soaring to 40 degrees Celsius. In areas like Tehri and Uttarkashi, the mercury has climbed up to 38 to 40 degrees Celsius.
The Meteorological Centre in Dehradun has alerted many districts to the ongoing heatwave. Relief from the heatwave is not expected within the next 48 hours, and districts such as Bageshwar, Chamoli, Pithoragarh, Rudraprayag, and Uttarkashi are also affected by this heat wave. The heat has been persistent in Dehradun, Haridwar, and Udham Singh Nagar for the past 20 days.
While in the plains, the heat has made afternoon outdoor activities challenging, situation not very different is also seen in the hills where unusually high temperatures have been consistent for the last 15 days. The Meteorological Department forecasts that the heatwave is likely to continue until at least June 15.
The rising temperatures have also led to a resurgence of forest fires across Garhwal and Kumaon regions. Despite the heat, tourists and the pilgrims continue to flock to Uttarakhand’s popular destinations like Haridwar, Rishikesh, Nainital, Dehradun, and Mussoorie besides the Char Dham sites, which are now bustling with visitors. Due to unusual heat wave, the tourists are choosing to stay indoors during the day, venturing out primarily in the evenings.