India home to 19 of world's top 20 hottest cities as heatwave grips nation

Heatwave has gripped India as several parts of the country are struggling to cope with the sweltering heat. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heatwave alert in northern Indian states namely Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh along with eastern and central regions.

Temperature in southern states such as Karnataka has already crossed 40 degrees Celsius in Kalaburagi, Bidar and Raichur, along with Maharashtra's Vidarbha and Marathwada, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana where it ranges between 40-45 degrees Celsius.

List of hottest cities in the world.

According to AQI.in ranking for April 22, 19 out of top 20 hottest cities in the world are Indian, with West Bengal's Medinipur having the highest temperature at 45 degrees Celsius. The next six hottest cities are also in West Bengal, followed by Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur, Odisha's Bhadrak and Masanganj (Chhattisgarh) at 8th, 9th and 10th spot, respectively.

Bihar's Munger, Bhojpur and Begusarai are also on the list, with temperatures as high as 44 degrees Celsius. The only foreign city breaking the Indian streak is Nepal's Lumbini Sanskritik at the 20th spot.

On Tuesday, the IMD said that heatwave conditions in northern India will persist for the next three days. A yellow alert has already been issued for Delhi as the temperature will stay above 40 degrees Celsius until April 24.

The IMD has also advised citizens to stay hydrated, avoid direct sun exposure during peak hours and take necessary precautions.