Naresh Kumar, a senior scientist at IMD Delhi, said, “We have issued a Red (danger) alert for some parts of West Bengal as heatwave-to-severe heatwave conditions are prevailing there. The temperature is 4 to 6.5 degree Celsius higher than normal. Along with this, the minimum temperature is also higher than normal. There will be a slight drop in the temperature from Monday onwards.”

The IMD further predicted that Jhargram and West Midnapore districts might receive light rainfall on Monday and Tuesday.

Heatwave conditions prevailed in other South Bengal districts like North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, Hooghly, Purulia, East Burdwan, Birbhum, Murshidabad, and Nadia. The Orange (prepare) alert for these districts is expected to continue till Thursday.

State capital Kolkata recorded a maximum temperature of 40.2 degree Celsius along with 87 per cent humidity on Sunday. Hot and humid weather is expected to prevail in the city for some more days.

Panagarh with 45.1 degree Celsius again registered the highest maximum temperature in the state on Sunday, followed by Midnapore and Bankura with 44.6 degree Celsius.

The West Bengal police administration announced on social media its decision to distribute a special ‘summer kit’ to traffic cops. The kit includes items such as umbrellas, hats, sunglasses, masks, glucose, and ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution).

Meanwhile, criticising the decision to have a seven-phase election in Bengal during the peak summer period, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale posted on X, “A 7-phase election in this heat wave is not just a terrible idea but also serves to suppress voter turnout. High voter turnout usually means trouble for the incumbent i.e. BJP. Modi is so terrified that he’s intentionally made West Bengal go through 7 phases of polling. But the 77%+ turnout for Phase-1 shows that Bengal will not succumb to these dirty tricks.”