Record heat scorches northern, central India, Delhi hits 79-yr high
New Delhi: Northern and central regions of India were engulfed by an intense heatwave, with temperatures reaching a record high in 79 years in the national capital on Wednesday.
Delhi’s main weather station, the Safdarjung observatory, reported a scorching 46.8 degrees Celsius. However, an astonishing 52.9 degrees was recorded in Mungeshpur, leading the IMD to scrutinise the local automatic weather station for sensor inaccuracies.
The searing heat affected several states, with Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh experiencing temperatures above 47 degrees Celsius. Notably, Rohtak and Prayagraj hit 48.8 degrees, the highest in the nation for the day, as per the India Meteorological Department.
Record-breaking temperatures for the month were observed in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, and Rohtak, Haryana, surpassing previous highs of 48.4 degrees Celsius in 1994 and 47.2 degrees in 1995, respectively.
The extreme 52.9 degrees Celsius in Mungeshpur, situated on the outskirts of Delhi, puzzled climate experts. IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra remarked on the anomaly compared to other regional weather stations.
“It looks abnormal and it is an outlier when compared with other weather stations in the national capital region,” he said in a statement.
Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju instructed a review of the Mungeshpur station after a slight dip in temperatures from the previous day’s 49.9 degrees recorded at three Delhi stations.
The IMD anticipates relief from the heatwave soon due to an incoming western disturbance, expected rainfall, thunderstorms, and moist winds from the Arabian Sea.
Una, a gateway to Himachal Pradesh, broke its own temperature record with 46 degrees Celsius, surpassing the 45.2 degrees set in 2013. Similarly, Karwar in Karnataka reached 38 degrees, the state’s highest for May, beating the 37.6 degrees recorded last year.
In response to the heatwave, Bihar has shut down educational institutions and anganwadi centres until June 8 following reports of heat-induced fainting among students.
The IMD predicts the heatwave to persist in Bihar for a few more days, and officials are advising precautions against heat exposure and dehydration.
Haryana’s Hisar experienced a high of 48.5 degrees Celsius, with Mahendragarh and Sirsa also facing intense heat. Jhajjar and Faridabad recorded 48.4 and 48 degrees Celsius, respectively, while Ambala and Karnal had slightly lower temperatures.
Rohtak and Hisar received evening showers, offering a brief respite from the heat.
In Punjab, Bathinda was the hottest at 48.5 degrees Celsius, with Ludhiana and Pathankot both reaching 46.1 degrees. Other cities also reported high temperatures.
Rajasthan saw a slight decrease in temperatures, yet Pilani and Churu remained extremely hot, with the former being the state’s hottest spot for the day.
