JOIN USTemperature in national capital Delhi touched 44 degrees as the northern plains of the country continued to roast under clear skies on Sunday, the heat wave refusing to loosen its vice-like grip and the mercury settling above normal in many places.
Most people in Delhi preferred to cool off indoors than brave the scorching sun, as the temperature rose marginally from on Saturday’s 43.2 degrees to settle at 43.6 degrees Celsius, four notches above normal.The minimum registered a rise from Saturday’s 32.4 degrees to touch 32.7 degrees Celsius, five degrees above normal.
The searing heat wave affected normal life in Rajasthan as well, with Sriganganagar recording a maximum of 45.3 degrees Celsius.
Churu, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Jaipur and Kota recorded maximums of 44.6, 42.3, 41.5, 40.6 and 40.1 degrees Celsius respectively.
Some parts of the state witnessed dust storms and light rains, but the shower did little to push down the mercury level.
Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh also reeled under the blistering heat, with maximum temperatures hovering in the range of 42-46 degrees Celsius.
Amritsar in Punjab, where the temperature touched 45.8 degrees Celsius, was the hottest place in the region, while Ludhiana and Patiala sizzled at 44 deg C and 43.6 deg C respectively.
Chandigarh, too, sweltered at 42.3 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal.
In Haryana, Hisar baked at 44 degrees Celsius, while Rohtak simmered at 43.6 degrees Celsius, two to three notches above normal.
Gurgaon had a hot day at 44 degrees Celsius, while Ambala’s maximum settled at 43.4 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal.
Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh, unrelenting heat wave showed no sign of abating, with Allahabad recording a maximum of 46.8 degree Celsius.
The temperature was recorded above normal in Varanasi, Faizabad, Meerut divisions and markedly above in Gorakhpur, Allahabad and Bareilly divisions.