India swelters in 50C heat as Delhi records hottest day

Maryam Kara

May 29, 2024 at 7:40 a.m.·1 min read

People across Northern India have been sweltering amid an unrelenting heatwave, as swathes of the region, including Delhi, have hit temperatures of up to 50C.

India’s weather department expects the high temperatures to persist across Northern India for the next few days as several states have been put on high alert.

The weather bureau noted on Tuesday that temperatures soared nine degrees above expected in many areas of capital Delhi, which reported temperatures of 49.9C.

Meanwhile, neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana also saw temperatures rise, with an area of Rajasthan topping the 50C mark on Tuesday.

Heatwaves are declared in India when temperatures climb 45 C.

Tens of millions of India’s 1.4 billion people are currently without running water.

In some instances, individuals have had to sleep beneath trucks to escape the sun, while many children have attempted to cool themselves in lakes.

There is also the country’s six-week general election which has seen people continue to wait in long queues to cast their votes and which only ends on Saturday. It is thought that this could leave individuals posed with increasing health risks.

Sizzling temperatures have additionally been taking their toll on animals, putting them at risk of dehydration and heatstroke.

Animal conservationist in the city of Bikaner in Rajasthan, Sitaram, who goes by one name, said that endangered chinkaras — also known as Indian gazelle — are facing a shortage of water. The rescue team have been helping them to beat the heat, even leaving some to rest in the plumage of peacocks.

April, May and June are typically the hottest in India, ahead of its monsoon season which brings cooler temperatures.

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