Kolkata, April 24 (Inditop) There was no respite for the West Bengal capital from the scorching heat, with the weather officials predicting that the mercury level may touch 42 degrees Celsius Friday.

“According to the 11.30 a.m. forecast, the temperature may rise to 42 degrees today (Friday) and the heat wave is likely to continue,” a duty officer at the Regional Meteorological Centre told IANS.

However, the humidity level was lower Friday at around 19 percent, which brought some comfort to the city-dwellers.

“There is no chance of any norwesters in the coming days,” the officer said.

The weather office has already warned the city-dwellers that heat wave conditions will prevail for the next 48 hours till Sunday morning.

Elsewhere in West Bengal, the maximum temperature was close to 50 degree Celsius in Purulia, while several other places also reeled under a searing heat wave.

Already several schools in the city have declared holidays on Thursday and Friday after some of the students fell sick due to the oppressive weather conditions.