New Delhi, India’s capital, has recorded its highest temperature ever: 49.9 degrees Celsius. This extreme heat has led to warnings about water shortages in the city.
Record Heat
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported severe heat-wave conditions. The record temperature was noted on Tuesday at two stations in New Delhi’s suburbs: Narela and Mungeshpur. The temperature is nine degrees higher than usual.
Forecast and Warnings
Similar high temperatures are expected on Wednesday. The IMD has issued a red alert, warning people to be careful. The red alert means there is a very high chance of heat illness and heat stroke for everyone, especially vulnerable people. The heat remains high even at night.
Expected Relief
The IMD says the heat wave in northwest and central India is likely to reduce gradually from Thursday.
Past High Temperatures
In May 2022, parts of Delhi reached 49.2 degrees Celsius (120.5 Fahrenheit). India often experiences very hot summer temperatures. Climate change is making heatwaves longer, more frequent, and more intense.
Water Shortages
Authorities in New Delhi are warning about water shortages due to the heat. Water Minister Atishi Marlena has urged people to save water. To help with the problem, water supply has been reduced from twice a day to once a day in many areas. The saved water will be given to areas with very short supplies.
The Yamuna river, which runs through Delhi, has very low water levels during the summer. Delhi depends almost entirely on water from neighboring Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, which also need a lot of water for farming.
Reasons for High Temperatures
The high temperatures are partly due to hot winds from Rajasthan state, where temperatures were the highest in the country on Tuesday, reaching 50.5 degrees Celsius. Rajasthan’s Phalodi holds India’s all-time heat record of 51 degrees Celsius, set in 2016.
Heatwave in Pakistan
Pakistan is also experiencing a heatwave, with temperatures peaking at 53 degrees Celsius on Sunday in Mohenjo Daro, Sindh. The heat is expected to decrease from Wednesday, but more heatwaves are expected in June.
Cyclone in West Bengal and Mizoram
At the same time, West Bengal and Mizoram states in India have been hit by Cyclone Remal, which struck India and Bangladesh on Sunday, killing at least 65 people. Bangladesh’s Meteorological Department said the cyclone was one of the longest in the country’s history, blaming climate change for this shift.