RAJASTHAN: India recorded its highest ever temperature on Thursday when the heat in the town of Phalodi, situated in the western state of Rajasthan, shot up to a burning 51 degrees Celsius.
It was the second day in a row that the town experienced temperatures in excess of 50 degrees Celsius. Other towns in the state, such as Churu, also recorded highs of about 50 degrees Celsius.
In New Delhi, the temperature reached nearly 47 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. The previous temperature record in India was held by Alwar, also in Rajasthan, at 50.6 degrees Celsius in 1956.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the highest temperature ever was recorded at 56.7 degrees Celsius in Death Valley, California, on July 10, 1913.
Rajasthan – home to the Thar desert – typically records the highest temperatures in India. Temperatures can soar as a result of incoming western winds from hot areas.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red-level alert for Rajasthan as well as for other states including Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat – where temperatures, despite not having crossed the 50-degree mark – are higher than average.
India has recorded higher than normal temperatures throughout 2016. Many areas are experiencing severe heat waves and state governments estimate more than 370 people have been killed so far.
India’s meteorological department says the heat wave will continue into next week. Many schools across the country have been operating on shortened days.
The monsoons are expected to hit India in June, bringing much-needed rain and relief. The 2016 monsoons are forecast to bring an above-average amount of rainfall.