After a bout of heavy downpour, floods and landslides that battered Northeast India for the last two months of pre-monsoon, almost the whole region, including Manipur is now reeling under rising temperature, throwing millions of lives out of gear. India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday announced that there may not be any respite from intense heat in the next 48 hours.
The IMD officials have asked people to take precautions as temperatures are set to remain high for a few days. The temperature was noted to be above normal in the states of Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram.
Mercury fluctuations unsettled Manipur this year as the maximum temperature in Tengnoupal and Noney district recorded where barometer shot up to 39.56 degree Celsius in Noney district on July 9 and decreased to 34.68 degree Celsius in Tengnoupal, as per a report from the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change.
On Saturday, the maximum temperature recorded at Noney district was 36.21 degree Celsius followed by Tengnoupal with 34.28 degree Celsius; Churachandpur - 33.04 degree Celsius, Kakching - 31.57 degree Celsius; Imphal West - 31.47 degree Celsius, Bishnupur - 31.44 degree Celsius, Kangpokpi - 30.24 degree Celsius, Senapati - 29.84 degree Celsius, Imphal East - 29.44 degree Celsius, Tamenglong - 29.43 degree Celsius and Ukhrul - 25.46 degree Celsius.
A report from the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change explained that the highest temperature recorded in April was 39.99 degree Celsius this year in Tengnoupal district. Since January to April of this year the temperature of Tengnoupal has shot up to 28.18 to 32.25 to 38.65 degree Celsius and 39.99 degree Celsius.
Interestingly, since May till Saturday, the highest temperature was recorded in Noney district as it rose to 39.56 degree Celsius in July 9 and fell to 35. 06 degree Celsius on Friday.
According to records from the directorate, during the period from 2017 to 2021, the maximum temperature was recorded at Chandel (39.97 degree Celsius) in June, 2017; Tamenglong (39.92 degree Celsius) in August, 2018; Chandel (39.99 degree Celsius) in April, 2019; Noney (39.83 degree Celsius) in June, 2020 and Tengnoupal (39.97 degree Celsius) in April, 2021 respectively.
The hill districts or the western districts of Manipur has the highest maximum temperature of 39 above degree Celsius among all districts except Ukhrul mostly since the last five years, according to weather reports of the state Directorate of Environment and Climate Change.
This year, the maximum temperature was witnessed in Imphal East and Imphal West with degrees rising to 35 and above Celsius. In January, maximum temperature recorded in Tengnoupal was 28.18 degree Celsius and it was followed by Imphal East, Imphal West, and Churachandpur and Ukhrul trailing behind with temperatures of 27 degree and 19 degree Celsius respectively.
In February, the maximum temperature recorded at Tengnoupal was 32.25 degree Celsius while Imphal East and Churachandpur recorded 28.44 degree Celsius and the maximum temperature in Ukhrul was 18 degree Celsius.
In March, the maximum temperature recorded at Tengnoupal was 38.65 degree Celsius, except for Tamenglong and Ukhrul which recorded a maximum of 28 degree Celsius, the remaining district recorded at 33 and above degree Celsius.
In April, the maximum temperature recorded at Tengnoupal was 39.99 degree Celsius followed by Noney with 37.51 degree Celsius, Churachandpur with 36.41 degree Celsius. Ukhrul and Tamenglong remained under 25 degree Celsius.
Interestingly, the maximum temperature recorded at Noney district from May onwards was 38.07 degree Celsius, and in June it was recorded at 37.78 degree Celsius. Till date, Noney district recorded a maximum temperature of 35.83 degree Celsius.
It may be mentioned that the maximum temperature (40 degree Celsius) was recorded twice in Manipur at Chandel district during the last 10 years. The first took place on April 10, 2016 and second on May 10, 2019.
On Saturday, Imphal West and Imphal East districts recorded a maximum temperature of 31.47 degree Celsius and 29.44 degree Celsius respectively. Imphal West district had once recorded a maximum of 37.16 degree Celsius on August 11, 2019 while Imphal East had recorded a maximum temperature of 38.07 degree Celsius on March 10, 2016.
The early heat waves of 2022 that began on March 11 have impacted as many as 15 Indian states and Union Territories, according to data available from the IMD.
It may also be noted that this year, the highest rainfall in Manipur since 2013 was recorded in May with 25.93 mm rain, according to a report from the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change.
The highest rainfall for Manipur during the last 10 years was last recorded in 2018 at 225.31mm, it stated.
Tamenglong received the highest rainfall among all 16 districts with 540 mm in May, 2022, followed by Kangpokpi and Noney with 382 mm and 375 mm rain respectively while Kakching recorded the minimum rainfall with 159 mm rain, the report added.
