Heatwave conditions to prevail in eastern, peninsular India for 2 days; significant rains in some areas: Met office

The weather office said there could be intense rain and thunderstorms in the northeast region till April 9.

The heat wave conditions are likely in isolated pockets over Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Vidarbha, north interior Karnataka, coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Yanam, Rayalaseema, and Telangana starting Friday and continuing on Saturday, the IMD said.

The IMD said a "significant amount of rainfall" has been forecast in parts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Gangetic West Bengal.

Heatwave conditions are already persistent in isolated pockets over north interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema, coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Yanam, the IMD said.

"Scattered to widespread light and moderate rainfall or snowfall with isolated thunderstorms and lightning very likely over sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during the next seven days," the IMD said.

The Centre on Wednesday directed the states and Union Territories to make plans for mitigating the effects of heat waves, especially for mass gatherings amid the Lok Sabha elections.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya gave the directions after reviewing public health preparedness for the management of heat-related illness.

"Timely, advance and wide awareness among the people on the preventive measures will hugely support in reducing the severe impact of such heat waves," he said.

The IMD has recently predicted the maximum temperature in the country will be above normal this year.