Palam records highest temperature of season

The national capital continues to reel under intense heat wave, with some parts of the city recording the highest temperatures so far for the season.

At Palam observatory, the maximum temperature touched 46.4 degrees Celsius, breaking its previous record of 46.2 degrees on May 2.

At Safdarjung observatory, the mercury touched 43.7 degrees, three notches above the normal temperature for this part of the year.

The MeT department has already declared 'heat wave' to 'severe heat wave' conditions at a few places here.  In the last two months, more than 350 people have died due to heat stroke or heat related illness. Around 102 have died only in May.

Meanwhile, Delhi's Indira Gandhi Airport has been consistently experiencing 45 to 47 degrees Celsius at its runway, the highest in North West region of the country, during afternoons, delaying bigger cargo aircraft. “Past records for May for Delhi airport show that since 1985, it is for the fourth time that such high temperatures have been experienced,” an official from the MeT department said.