Jammu records season’s hottest day, sizzles at 43.5 degree Celsius

Double whammy: Water crisis, sweltering heatwave compound misery for citizens

Jammu: Jammu and its suburbs reeled under searing heatwave conditions on Saturday, with mercury touching 43.5 degree Celsius, thereby recording the hottest day of the season so far.

The maximum temperature in Jammu city hovered 6.6 degree Celsius above normal temperature, forcing the people to stay indoors. The intense heatwave has also triggered a water crisis in many parts of Jammu region as there were reports of drinking water sources drying up in rural pockets while groundwater level has plummeted in several areas.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), however, has predicted some relief from extreme weather conditions from May 16 to May 18. “Weather will remain dry and clear till May 16. Widespread moderate rain or thunderstorm with hailstorm at some places and snow over higher reaches is most likely during May 16 (evening) till May 18,” the IMD officials said.

In Kashmir Valley, Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, also reeled under scorching heat as the temperature crossed above 31 degree Celsius at many places. Srinagar, Qazigund and Pahalgam areas in Kashmir region recorded the hottest day of the season where temperature settled at 31.3 degree Celsius-- 7.4 notches above normal, 32.0 degree Celsius and 26.9 degree Celsius respectively. The IMD officials, however, said there was a possibility of some respite from the heat wave in Kashmir from tomorrow as the cloudy weather is expected there from Sunday.

The IMD bulletin stated that Jammu recorded a minimum temperature of 23.3 degrees Celsius which is almost near normal during this part of the season.

It said Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, was the second hottest recorded place in the region with a high of 40.4 degrees Celsius and a low of 23.9 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, several parts of Jammu region witnessed unscheduled power cuts in metered areas while low water supply compounded the problems of the people.