Bhopal, May 16 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh is experiencing heatwaves with the highest temperature in the state recorded in Khajuraho at 43.4 degrees Celsius. The heat was intense across several districts, with Gwalior, Naugaon, and Chhatarpur reaching 45 degrees Celsius, the highest so far this season, the weather office said on Friday.

Other areas also experienced soaring temperatures, including Satna at 44.1 degrees Celsius, Guna, Shivpuri, and Tikamgarh at 44 degrees Celsius, and Rewa at 43.6 degrees Celsius.

Among the five major cities, Jabalpur was the hottest after Gwalior, recording 40.3 degrees. Bhopal registered 38.4 degrees, Ujjain 39 degrees, and Indore 36.9 degrees Celsius.

While some areas endured intense heat, others experienced thunderstorms and gusty winds ranging from 30-50 kmph.

Isolated places across Bhopal, Sehore, Rajgarh, Narmadapuram, Betul, Harda, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Khargone, and other districts saw lightning and stormy conditions.

Barwani witnessed a sudden change in weather at 1.30 p.m. in the afternoon, bringing heavy rain for 20 minutes.

In Mandu,, strong winds and rain caused damage to structures, blowing away “kuchcha” roofs and causing a house wall to collapse.

The Meteorological Department has issued a heat-wave alert for northern districts starting May 17, predicting temperatures to soar above 45 degrees in places like Gwalior, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Bhind, and Barwani.

In Khajuraho and Naugaon, the mercury could reach as high as 48 degrees Celsius at some places, making them the hottest spots in the state, the weather office said.

Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, and Ujjain are also expected to see temperatures between 44 and 45 degrees, while Gwalior could reach between 46 and 47 degrees.

Over the past 24 hours, scattered rainfall was recorded in Bhopal, Indore, Narmadapuram, Ujjain, Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Sagar divisions, while other regions remained dry. Rewa also felt the effects of a warm night.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh is likely to experience light to moderate rain, along with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds between 50 and 60 kilometers per hour in isolated areas across the state.

–IANS

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