Heat Waves Abate in India Amid Rains Bringing Relief to Millions

India is getting some respite from brutal heat waves, with scorching temperatures seen moderating further due to clouds and rains.

(Bloomberg) — India is getting some respite from brutal heat waves, with scorching temperatures seen moderating further due to clouds and rains.

Maximum temperatures are forecast to fall by 3C to 5C in western, central and eastern parts of the country during the next five days, according to the India Meteorological Department. Isolated to widespread rains are expected in most areas of the south Asian nation during the period, it said.

India witnessed an extremely hot summer this year, with the mercury soaring to as high as 46C (115F) in some regions. Heat waves probably killed more than 100 people in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh and neighboring Bihar, the Times of India newspaper reported. Authorities, however, said that there was no direct link between heat waves and a spike in deaths, it said.

The heat wave situation worsened this year because of a late start of the annual monsoon and its slow progress toward the northern parts of India. People are more likely to dehydrate in high temperatures, which increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

However, a recent improvement in rains will not only provide relief to millions of people from searing temperatures, but also help farmers spur planting of crops, such as rice, soybeans, corn and pulses.

The southwest monsoon, which accounts for about 75% of the country’s annual rainfall, advanced Thursday after stalling for almost 10 days, the weather office said. Conditions are favorable for the weather pattern to progress further over some more parts of the southern peninsular region, remaining areas of Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar states and some parts of Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh in the next two days, it said.

Cumulative rains during the monsoon season, which generally runs from June to September, have been 31% below normal so far this year, with the central region receiving 60% less rainfall than a long-term average. If the monsoon fails to gather pace in the coming weeks, crop production could be affected, food prices may soar and India may continue to keep restrictions on exports for wheat rice and sugar.

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