Heatwave in Bihar: Patna DM orders to shut schools till 18 June due to extreme heat

Bihar heatwaves: Patna DM restricts all academic activities from June 12 to June 18 up to Class 12, due to extreme heat wave in Bihar.

In an official circular, Patna's district magistrate Dr Chandra Shekhar Singh wrote, "Whereas, it has been made to appear to me due to prevalent heat wave and prevailing high temperature in the district, health and life of children are at risk".

The notification added, "Under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, do hereby prohibit the academic activities of all private, government schools (including pre-school and Anganwadi centre) of Patna district up to class 12 till 18 June 2023".

The order came into effect on Monday, 12 June, and will remain effective till Sunday, 18 June 2023.

Apart from Bihar, the Jharkhand government has also ordered schools to cancel all academic activities till 14 June because of the extreme heatwaves.

An order issued by the secretary of school education and literacy department K Ravi Kumar, said that keeping in view the extreme heat and heat wave conditions in the state, all categories of government, non-government aided/ non-aided (including minority) and all private schools operating in the state will remain closed from June 12 to June 14.

At present, heatwave conditions are prevailing across India. The maximum temperature is hovering between 38-44 degree Celsius across Jharkhand. Whereas in Patna, the maximum temperature stood at 40 degrees Celsius at 9 AM on Monday.

According to the weather department, the situation might remain the same for at least the next five days and heat wave alerts have been issued till June 15 in Jharkhand.

On severe heatwave conditions, IMD Scientist Naresh Kumar issued an advisory on the current situation in the country. Kunar said, "Talking about the heatwave conditions in India, the main heat wave zone currently is East India. The heat wave conditions are prevailing in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal. For this, the IMD issued an orange alert in these regions. Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are also coming under the influence of heatwave".

Amid the heatwave in India, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a cyclone warning for Saurashtra and Kutch coasts in Gujarat.

Extremely severe cyclonic storm 'Biparjoy' is expected to cross Saurashtra and District Kachchh around noon on 15 June. The cyclonic storm nears the cost of Kachchh the wind speed is expected to reach around 125 to 135 kmph.

The weather department said, "Cyclone Alert for Saurashtra & Kutch Coast: Yellow Message. ESCS BIPARJOY over east-central Arabian Sea, at 1730 IST of 11th June near lat 18.6N & long 67.7E, Likely to cross between Mandvi (Gujarat) & Karachi (Pakistan) by noon of 15th June".

As a result, the officials at Deendayal Port Authority in Kandla at Gujarat's Kutch have started shifting people from low-lying areas to temporary shelters.

High tide was witnessed at Dwarka as 'Biparjoy' turns into an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm, to cross the Gujarat coast on June 15.

"20 teams are deployed on the field, patrolling is going on. Now going to Gomti Ghat has been prohibited. In view of security, devotees are requested that when they come to Dwarkadhish temple, leave only after visiting the temple, and do not wish to bathe at Gomti Ghat," said SDM Partha Talsania.