Unprecedented heatwave claims three lives in Bengal, India

The heatwave sweeping across the southern part of West Bengal has claimed three lives, with daytime temperatures hovering around 41 degree Celsius, five degrees above normal during this time of the year.

According to the meteorological department, such conditions are unheard of in this part of the country, where the humidity levels have plummeted below the 50 per cent and hot air starts blowing since early morning.

For the people of the city, it is normal to sweat profusely even at 35 degree Celsius, but this time around, with little sweat, sun strokes and other related diseases have become the norm.

One person aged around 40 and another 45, died after collapsing on a street at Chitpur in the northern part of the metropolis. They were declared dead on arrival at a hospital, police officials said. “Heatwave conditions will continue for at least the next two days in most southern districts of the state, including Kolkata,” Regional MeT director G.C. Debnath said.

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Heat-wave descends on Burma

People should prepare immediately for a heat-wave as potentially record-breaking temperatures look set to envelop many parts of Burma, according to Tun Lwin, the former head of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology.

The ultraviolet (UV) index began spiking above 11 – an “extreme” level – at the beginning of April, but could reach a scorching 15.1 in eastern Burma’s Shan and Karenni states in the coming weeks and continue as such until the rains break, he said.

According to recent data, the UV index in Rangoon, Pegu and Tenasserim divisions is 14.1, while it was 14.2 in Irrawaddy Division, 14.6 in Karenni State, and 14.4 in southern and eastern Shan State.

The Ministry of Health has warned that unprotected exposure to UV rays can cause sunstroke and dehydration, while long-term effects include skin cancer, lowered immunity and cataracts.

Meanwhile, residents in Dala Township, which sits across the river from Rangoon port, are facing imminent water shortages due to rising summer temperatures and dried-up reservoirs.

Than Naing from Dala’s Yarza Thingyan quarter said that the Maha Thingyan freshwater lake – relied upon for drinking water by his and six other neighbourhoods – has dried up, forcing locals to buy water elsewhere.

Hla Myint, deputy-chairman of the trustees for the Maha Thingyan, said restrictions have been imposed on locals fetching water from the lake.

According to the World Meteorological Organisation, Rangoon residents can expect a maximum temperature of 39°C (102°F) on Friday and Saturday, while those in Mandalay in central Burma should get ready for a sizzling 42°C (108°F).

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Heat wave forces 2-day-holiday for Kamrup schools, colleges

All schools and educational institutions have been closed due to the prevailing heat wave conditions for two days from tomorrow in Assam’s Kamrup (Metro) district. 

 

Kamrup (Metro) Deputy Commissioner Ashutosh Agnihotri issued an order today directing all schools and educational institutions, both government and private, to be kept closed on April 25 and 26. 

 

A heat wave condition is prevailing in the state with temperatures rising to 40.1 degrees Celsius today, the highest in the last 15 years. 

 

According to Regional Meteorology Centre, the prevailing heat wave condition was due to westerly hot winds from the Gangetic plains in the lower atmosphere with no moisture feed from the Bay of Bengal to trigger rainfall.

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Heat wave intensifies in Odisha, highest 42.8 deg C at Bhubaneswar

Heat wave conditions further intensified in Odisha on Thursday with the mercury soaring above 41 degree Celsius in many places. Bhubaneswar recorded the highest temperature with the mercury soaring to 42.8 degree Celsius. The mercury continued to be high in other major 15 places of the state recording more than 40 degree celcius. The temperature at Angul and Bhawanipatna was 42.7degree celcius with  Titlagarh 42.5, Chandbali 41.9, Bolangir 41.8, Sambalpur 41.7, Baripada 41.6, Talcher 41.2, Dhenkanal-Jharsuguda-Hirakud-Malkangiri- Baleswar- Sonepur 41 and Cuttack at 40 degrees Celsius. Director of Indian Meteorological Centre (IMD), Bhubaneswar, Dr. Sarat Sahu said the temperature in the state would rise up to a maximum of 3 to 4 degree Celsius in the next five days. In all likelihood the temperature at Bhubaneswar will touch 45 degree Celsius during this period.

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Honduras plane crash

Four people were killed Wednesday when their small aircraft crashed and burst into flames near the western Honduran city of Gracias, the authorities said.

The accident occurred on the day President Juan Orlando Hernandez traveled to Gracias – his hometown – to inaugurate a new airport.

“Deeply moved for the victims of the air accident, may the presence of god be a balm for their families in these difficult moments,” the president said on Twitter after learning of the crash.

The dead included student pilot Hamilton San Martin and all three passengers – Doris Guillen, Lilian Isabel Mondragon and her son Franco Jose Diaz, a rescue official said.

The authorities are trying to determine the cause of the accident, Honduran civil aviation director, Col. Jose Navarro, told reporters.

“The plane was not overloaded and we don’t know what happened,” he said.

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MAGNITUDE 5.9 SOUTH OF FIJI ISLANDS

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usb000py4w#summary

Subject To Change

Depth: 66 km

Distances: 342km (213mi) SSW of Vaini, Tonga
349km (217mi) SSW of Nuku`alofa, Tonga
814km (506mi) SE of Suva, Fiji
912km (567mi) SE of Nadi, Fiji
926km (575mi) SSE of Lambasa, Fiji

**EXTREMELY URGENT**MASSIVE DIP SPIKE ON THE MAGNETOSPHERE

MASSIVE DIP SPIKE ON THE MAGNETOSPHERE @ APPROX 18:45 hrs UTC. FURTHER EARTHQUAKES, VOLCANO ACTIVITY & ADVERSE WEATHER PATTERNS WILL BE GREATLY INFLUENCED BY THE COSMIC RAYS STRIKING THE EARTH’S CORE

***BE ALERT***

MAGNITUDE 5.3 SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usb000pxjb#summary

Subject To Change

Depth: 96 km

Distances: 60km (37mi) SSE of Bristol Island, South Sandwich Islands
2549km (1584mi) ESE of Ushuaia, Argentina
2790km (1734mi) SE of Rio Gallegos, Argentina
2791km (1734mi) ESE of Punta Arenas, Chile
2145km (1333mi) SE of Stanley, Falkland Islands

MAGNITUDE 5.0 OFFSHORE TARAPACA, CHILE

http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=374372

Subject To Change

Depth: 10 km

Distances: 484 km SW of La Paz, Bolivia / pop: 812,799 / local time: 06:26:47.0 2014-04-24
86 km W of Iquique, Chile / pop: 227,499 / local time: 07:26:47.0 2014-04-24

MAGNITUDE 5.0 OFFSHORE O’HIGGINS, CHILE

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usb000pxem#summary

Subject To Change

Depth: 10 km

Distances: 97km (60mi) N of Constitucion, Chile
115km (71mi) W of Santa Cruz, Chile
133km (83mi) SW of San Antonio, Chile
137km (85mi) NW of Talca, Chile
213km (132mi) WSW of Santiago, Chile