EXTREME WEATHER: Deadly and Intense Heat Wave Spreads Across India - Unofficial Reports of 41 Deaths?!

A heat wave across parts of India, most notably the northeast, has turned deadly.

Unofficial reports have indicated that as many as 41 people have passed away from heat-related illness during the heat wave; however, the Indian government has only confirmed two deaths at this point.  The worst of the heat wave has been felt across Odisha, while Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh have also felt the effects of this latest heat wave, which include power shortages.  The high temperature averaged 45 C across Odisha on Friday, marking the highest average of the year to this point. The high temperature reached 46.5 C in Titilagarah. 

The heat continued on Saturday with many locations once again averaging 44 to 46 C during the hottest time of the day.  A building ridge of high pressure is the culprit behind the heat wave and unfortunately it is not expected to weaken anytime soon. No storm systems approaching the region will allow the ridge to continue to build and bring unrelenting heat to northeast India through at least the middle of next week. - Accu Weather.

PLANETARY TREMORS: Earthquake Measuring 5.4 Hits North-East India - Tremors Felt in Guwahati and Kolkata!

An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale shook Guwahati in Assam and Shillong in Meghalaya at about 6.15 this evening. Tremors were felt in other parts of the North East and some mild ones even in Kolkata.

The epicenter of the quake is Nagaon in Assam. Some minor cracks have been reported in buildings in Nagaon, but no major damage has been reported yet from Guwahati or Shillong. People in Guwahati, however, rushed out on to the roads when it happened and many said they had not felt such a major quake in a long time. There were reports that tremors were felt in Kohima in Nagaland too.

"I was sitting in my room and was working on a laptop. Suddenly I felt the tremors and I immediately got down," said a resident of Guwahati. In Kolkata, the tremors felt were mild, but some people in high-rise buildings rushed out. - NDTV.

WATCH: Mild earthquake in Assam, West Bengal.