Mercury to hit 40°celsius in next 48 hrs, water crisis looms in Ranchi, Jamshedpur

RANCHI: Prevailing heat conditions are expected to intensify over Jharkhand in the next 48 hours, weathermen warned on Tuesday.
The regional met office of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted a two to three degree rise in maximum daytime temperatures across the state which would continue till May 11. The maximum daytime temperatures in Ranchi is expected to hit the 40 degrees Celsius mark on Thursday.
The IMD-Ranchi predicted above 40 degrees Celsius daytime temperatures in 21 out of 24 districts of the state. Godda, Garhwa, Palamu, Pakur, Dumka, East Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan are likely to witness maximum temperatures between 42 and 43 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, it said.
The state witnessed heatwave-like conditions in most parts between April 9 and April 22. Pleasant weather followed from April 23 owing to a brief wet spell and overcast conditions. Jharkhand received around 27 mm rain in the last week of April, which was higher than the normal average of 19 mm.
Daytime temperatures in Ranchi, Jamshedpur, and Daltonganj hovered around 39.6 degrees Celsius, 41.6 degrees Celsius and 42 degrees Celsius, respectively, on Tuesday. Godda recorded 43 degrees Celsius, the highest in the state.
A scientist at IMD-Ranchi, Abhishek Anand, said the cyclonic circulation over southeast Bay of Bengal, which was expected to turn into a cyclonic storm by Wednesday, will not have any impact on Jharkhand’s weather as it would move northwestwards briefly before recurving towards the coastal areas of Bangladesh and Myanmar. “Though Jharkhand’s weather will remain mostly dry, the cyclonic storm is expected to cause a bit of cloud cover between May 12 and 14,” he added.
Rising mercury levels have run taps and borewells dry in several residential pockets of Ranchi and Jamshedpur. As per estimates of Ranchi Municipal Corporation, over 290 localities across the city are now depending on water tankers for meeting its daily water needs.“Water scarcity has worsened in ward numbers 25, 26, and 27 of Harmu. Piped water supply is elusive and people are dependent entirely on tankers and water jars,” former RMC ward councillor Arun Jha said.
In Jamshedpur, depleted water levels in Swarnarekha river has hit the piped water supply projects which feed water to homes in Moharda and Mango.