MC Summer Dashboard: These states faced higher power deficit as temperatures soared

Rainfall brings in some respite, but temperatures remain high

High temperatures continued to pressure the country’s power situation, even as the rainfall deficit narrowed due to rain spells in the northern part of the country. Parts of West Rajasthan, Punjab and isolated pockets of East Rajasthan and North Madhya Pradesh continued to witness 40-43 degrees Celsius temperatures, per Indian Meteorological Department data on June 27.

There are likely to be no heat wave conditions over the course of the next four days.

“No significant change in maximum temperatures very likely over Northwest India during the next 24 hours,” IMD said.

The rainfall deficit narrowed to 17.1%, but the power situation worsened.

Bihar and Jharkhand faced the highest energy shortages, according to data released on Thursday. Power data indicates India faced an energy shortage of 14.3 million units on June 26 compared with 11.2 million units the previous day.

Ten states are still staring at rainfall deficits of over 50%.

This is also impacting reservoir levels. India’s average reservoir levels were down 16.7% from normal, compared with 8.7% last week.

Heat wave days faced by north Indian states had increased further in the third week of June compared with the previous week, with some sub-divisions like Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh experiencing seven heat wave days between June 13 and June 19.

A heat wave is described when maximum temperatures reach over 40 degrees Celsius in plains and over 30 degrees Celsius in hilly regions and are 4.5 to 6.4 degrees Celsius above normal for two consecutive days at two stations.