The India Meteorological Department on Friday said that heatwave conditions over northwest, Central and East India will abate gradually over the next two to three days.

The country has been in the grip of a heatwave over the past few weeks. Since May 17, heatwave conditions prevailed in Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Rajasthan. Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have seen temperatures soaring since May 18.

On Friday, the weather agency said that there would be a gradual fall in maximum temperatures by two to three degrees Celsius over northwest and Central India over the next three days, with no significant changes after that.

It added that East India would see a gradual fall in maximum temperatures by three to four degrees Celsius during the next three days and no significant change thereafter.

Very heavy rainfall is likely to continue over northeastern India during the next four to five days, the weather agency said.

The India Meteorological Department also noted that the highest maximum temperature over the country on Thursday was reported at Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar city at 48.3 degrees Celsius.

The development came as more than 30 persons, including 21 officials who were on election duty, died due to heat-related illnesses in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar on Thursday and Friday.

In Odisha, 26 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours amid the intense heat, The Hindu reported.