North Guj reeling under heat wave

Palanpur, Gujarat, Apr 6 (UNI) North Gujarat is reeling under scorching heat conditions with the mercury moving up to 44 degrees Celsius in the villages bordering Pakistan.

Weather bureau officials have forecast further rise in temperatures and have warned of severe heat wave conditions in the State in the next 24 hours, including parts of coastal Gujarat.

All four major cities of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Rajkot have recorded temperatures above 42 degree Celsius today, as against 41 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, and 41.04 yesterday.

The day temperatures had gone up to 47 degrees some decades ago.

However, in 2004 it was about 45, considered as average maximum.

Similarly, most other parts of Gujarat recorded temperatures above 40 degree Celsius today.

Villages like Mavasari, Suigam, Dhima, Radhnasada among others faced the hottest day of the year today. The position was similar in Mehsana and Palanpur, sources said.

According to Deesa-based weather observatory, the hot season has been gathering momentum gradually.

District Collector Vinod Rao Patan said the weather is hot in the bordering villages but is more than average.

''The temperature has never been so high at the outset of the summer season,'' Professor and Director of the Students' Welfare, Dr Veer Singh Rathore of Dantiwada Agricultural University said.

UNI