Ranchi, Mar 28 (PTI) At least 10 districts in Jharkhand are likely to come under the tight grip of a heat wave for three days from Wednesday, weather department officials said on Monday.

The maximum temperature might touch 43 degree Celsius in some places, they cautioned.

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The districts that could get affected by the heat wave are Garhwa, Palamu, Latehar, Chatra, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Simdega, East and West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharswan.

SC Mandal, scientist at the meteorological centre of Ranchi, told PTI, "Maximum temperature will rise across Jharkhand due to unrestricted flow of westerly and northwesterly winds from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, where heat wave conditions are already prevailing.”

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A heat wave is a period of unusually hot weather, when the maximum temperature departure ranges between 4.5 and 6.4 degrees.

Mandal said that maximum temperature may rise by three degree Celsius in Ranchi. However, a heat wave condition is unlikely in the state capital.

Ranchi is currently simmering at 35.4 degree Celsius, 1.7 degree higher than the normal temperature.

Godda turned out to be the hottest district with maximum temperature at 39.3 degree Celsius in past 24 hours. Daltonganj simmered at 39 degrees Celsius, and Jamshedpur at 38.8 degree Celsius during the period.

On the impact of the heat wave, the meteorological centre said that it could lead to moderate health problems for infants, the elderly, and those with chronic diseases.

It advised people to drink sufficient water, wear light-coloured cotton clothes and cover head with a cloth, hat, or umbrella, it said.

The department, in its bulletin, said that the heat wave could also impact crops like wheat, chickpea, lentil, pea, mustard, vegetables, cucurbitaceous and summer rice.

It suggested that optimum soil moisture be maintained by frequent irrigation and the crops, which are ripe, be immediately be harvested.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)