The West Garo Hills district administration in Meghalaya has issued an order to close schools for three days starting from Wednesday due to the extremely high temperatures. The district has witnessed a surge in mercury levels, crossing 37 degrees Celsius and even reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius in some areas.

To ensure the safety and well-being of students, teachers, and staff, the Deputy Commissioner Jagdish Chelani announced that all primary, upper primary, secondary, and higher secondary schools will remain closed from April 19-21. Night schools, however, will remain operational. The Met department has also issued a warning about the increasing temperatures in lower altitude areas of Garo Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts.

The state capital, Shillong, has also seen a rise in mercury levels, touching 28 degrees Celsius, around six notches above normal during mid-April. Meanwhile, the South Garo Hills district administration is closely monitoring the heat situation and may consider closing schools if the temperatures continue to rise.