No let-up in heatwave in Prayagraj

With maximum temperature shooting above 40 degrees Celsius almost everyday, Prayagraj residents are reeling under searing heatwave these days.

Infact, the city witnessed one of its hottest weeks in recent memory.

Adding to the woes of the residents are water shortage and power crisis that has further made the days tough here.

On May 29, the temperature reached an astounding 48.8 degrees Celsius, setting a new record for the highest temperature ever recorded in May. This milestone surpassed the previous record set on May 30, 1994. Notably, this temperature matched the highest maximum temperature recorded ever in the previous 128 years. Prayagraj came into the spotlight when it was officially declared the hottest city in the country on May 29. As temperatures soared, Prayagraj residents experienced a relentless heatwave, with May 22 marking a scorching 41.4 degrees Celsius.

Despite a brief respite on May 23, the heat intensified in the following days, reaching 43.6 degrees Celsius on May 25, 44.4 degrees Celsius on May 26, and 44.6 degrees Celsius on May 27. On May 28, the mercury reached 48.2 degrees Celsius, pushing the city to its limits.

On May 30, temperature climbed back up to 47.7 degrees Celsius, making the week as one of the hottest on record for Prayagraj.

In response to the blistering heatwave, the power department has initiated the installation of coolers to regulate the soaring temperatures of transformers, which are prone to overheating due to overload and searing heat.

On May 29, an effort was made to install coolers and fans near transformers located at power sub stations like Kalyani Devi, Mayohall, and Tagore Town, among others.

Power department’s chief engineer PK Singh said that the surge in temperature has been marked with a rise in demand for electricity and this in turn had increased load on transformers installed across the city.

The week also witnessed frequent power supply disruptions across various localities of Prayagraj including Govindpur, Salori, Jhunsi, Tagore Town and Preetam Nagar among others reeled under power disruptions on May 29 and the trend continues even now, claim locals.

One-third of the city, including the Civil Lines locality, is also grappling with a water supply crisis due to a drop in Yamuna water levels, affecting over 75,000 homes and causing hour-long water supply cuts since May 29.

According to Jal Kal secretary Shivam Mishra, the city was receiving about 15 million litres less water per day, necessitating half-hour supply cuts in the mornings and evenings. Mishra explained that more motors are being installed to try to draw additional water into the intake well.

The current situation eerily resembles that of 2009, when a severe water crisis was witnessed in the city. Despite efforts, the situation remains dire, with only 85 million litres being received presently per day, affecting nearly 4 lakh people relying on Khusrobagh water supply station.