Rajkot: Gujarat reeled under intense heat on Sunday as temperatures soared past the 40 degrees mark across several cities, with inland regions bearing the brunt of the rising mercury amid prevailing heat wave conditions.Rajkot emerged as the hottest city in the state, recording a maximum temperature of 41.7°C, about 2.4 degrees above normal. Ahmedabad and Bhuj also registered 40.7°C, while Kandla recorded the same temperature, a sharp 4.7 degrees above normal.Amid the intense heat in Rajkot, residents in several areas were seen placing bowls of water — often with ice — in open spaces and on terraces to help birds, especially pigeons, drink and cool off. Fruit sellers were spotted using umbrellas to shield themselves from the harsh sun, while many people covered their heads and faces with scarves and cloth to cope with the sweltering conditions.Vadodara and Gandhinagar were close behind, recording 40.4°C and 40.2°C respectively, indicating a widespread surge in daytime temperatures across central Gujarat.According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heat wave conditions are likely to persist at isolated places in Kutch district, while coastal regions of Gujarat and the Saurashtra-Kutch belt are expected to experience hot and humid conditions.Other cities such as Deesa (39.8°C), Amreli and Bhavnagar (around 39°C), and Surat (38.9°C) also reported intense daytime heat. In contrast, coastal areas remained relatively cooler due to the moderating influence of sea breeze, with Dwarka recording 30.8°C, Veraval 31.4°C, and Daman 35.6°C.Night temperatures offered little relief, ranging between 20°C and 26°C across the state. Bhavnagar recorded a relatively high minimum of 26.6°C, while Dang recorded the lowest minimum at 19.9°C.
