HEAT WAVE: DELHI BOILS, NORTH INDIA SWELTERS

Delhi’s primary weather station Safdarjung observatory recorded a maximum of 46.8 degrees Celsius

Large parts of northern and central India remained in the grip of a sweltering heat wave on Wednesday with the maximum temperature in the national capital soaring to a 79-year high.

While Delhi’s primary weather station Safdarjung observatory recorded a maximum of 46.8 degrees Celsius, the weather officials in the city were left baffled when Mungeshpur reported 52.9 degrees prompting the IMD to examine the automatic weather station in the locality for possible errors in its sensors.

Cities and towns across Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh sizzled at maximu temperatures in excess of 47 degrees Celsius with Rohtak and Prayagraj logging 48.8 degrees, t highest temperatures recorded in the country on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

According to the IMD, both Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh and Rohtak in Haryana broke records for the highest maximum temperature ever recorded for the month.

Prayagraj had clocked a maximum of 48.4 degrees Celsius on May 30, 1994. For Rohtak, the previous all-time high maximum was 47.2 degrees on June 6, 1995.