New Delhi, May 22 -- Several states of Northern, Central and Western India are currently locked in the grip of a punishing heatwave, forcing regional administrations to enact emergency countermeasures.

According to updates from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heat waves are a period of unusually high temperatures as compared to what is normally expected over a region. Several states are gripped by the extreme heat with temperatures over 40degC.

Heat wave conditions are very likely to occur during the next 6 days, as per IMD's Daily Weather Report and Forecast Bulletin. "Heat wave to severe heat wave conditions prevailed in few pockets over East Uttar Pradesh & Vidarbha; Heat wave conditions in many pockets of Haryana, Chandig...