By Suryagni Roy, Anupam Mishra: Several districts in West Bengal will reel under hot weather conditions as the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Kolkata, has issued a heatwave alert from April 12 to 16.

On Wednesday, the maximum temperature recorded in Kolkata was 38 degrees Celsius while the minimum was 27.7 degrees Celsius.

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According to the central weather department, North and South Paraganas and East Midnapore will experience a heatwave on April 12. Kolkata, North and South 24 Paraganas, Howrah, Hooghly, East Burdwan and East Midnapore districts are likely to experience a heatwave on April 13.

The IMD has predicted a heatwave for Malda, North and South Dinajpur from April 14 to April 16.

The IMD has issued an organic alert for districts in South Bengal as they are likely to experience heatwave conditions between April 12 and April 16.

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Hot weather is very likely to prevail over the districts of North Bengal except hilly areas from April 12 to 16 as dry westerly and northwesterly winds are blowing over the region. Meteorological conditions suggest that the maximum temperature is likely to increase by 2-3ºC in the next three to four days.

According to the IMD, a heatwave is a condition in which the maximum temperature stays at at least 40°C or more for plains for more than two to three days and at least 30°C or more for hilly regions.

The Met department has advised citizens to take precautionary measures and cut down on time spent outdoors.