The ongoing heatwave conditions further intensified on Tuesday in various parts of the country, including Punjab and Haryana, with Faridkot sizzling at 47.3 degrees Celsius and Rohtak registering a high of 46.9 degrees Celsius.The maximum temperatures hovered close to 45 degrees at several other places in the two states. Delhi recorded 45.1 degrees Celsius, which was 4.7 notches above normal, and Chandigarh 43.2 degrees Celsius, over four notches above normal.In Haryana, Sirsa saw a high of 46.4 degrees Celsius, followed by Faridabad (46 degrees Celsius), Hisar (45.3 degrees Celsius), Jind (45.2 degrees Celsius) and Narnaul (45 degrees Celsius). In Punjab, Patiala recorded a high of 45.3 degrees Celsius, followed by Ludhiana (44.2 degrees Celsius) and Amritsar (43.2 degrees Celsius).The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heatwave orange alert for four days beginning Wednesday. It said the mercury was expected to soar up to 47 degrees Celsius in the worst-affected pockets, and that the heatwave conditions were likely to continue till May 25.The weatherman has advised residents to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, especially during peak hours. “There is a likelihood of heat illness symptoms in people who are exposed to the sun for longer periods. There is a high health concern for vulnerable people like infants and the elderly,” said Surender Paul, Director of the IMD, Chandigarh. He said the heatwave conditions were due to the westerlies flowing from Rajasthan and the development of an anti-cyclonic system.An orange alert during a heatwave means “be prepared for extremely high temperatures and severe warm conditions”. It acts as the second-highest level of warning (below a red alert), signalling a high risk of heat exhaustion and heatstrokes.Some parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will witness light rainfall over the next week.Meanwhile, India on Tuesday met a new peak power demand of 260.45 GW at 3.40 pm, marking an all-time high. This surpassed the previous day’s peak demand of 257.37 GW, which was successfully met at 3.42 pm without any supply shortfall, again ensuring uninterrupted power supply.