Delhi records hottest April day in 50 years

Delhi sizzled as a massive heat wave sent the mercury to 43.5 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest day in 50 years. Before this, April 27, 1958 was recorded as the hottest day, with an equally killing 43.7 degrees Celsius, reports Avishek G Dastidar.

Delhi sizzled as a massive heat wave sent the mercury to 43.5 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, making it the hottest day in 50 years. Before this, April 27, 1958 was recorded as the hottest day, with an equally killing 43.7 degrees Celsius.

HT Image

Power demand rose to 3,499 MW on Wednesday, the highest this season.

And it is not going to get better anytime soon. “The Southwesterly wind, locally called loo, is blowing in Delhi. There are no chances of relief at least in the next couple of days,” said S.C. Bhan, director of the Met department in Delhi.

That’s bad news especially for schools, most of which still have a couple of weeks before the summer break. “There are plans to hold Physical Training classes indoors with the teacher talking about how to beat the heat,” said S.L. Jain, chairman of National Progressive Schools Conference, an umbrella body of 124 Delhi schools. “Most government schools may have a bigger problem; they do not have proper buildings and sufficient cooling arrangements.”

The Delhi government is yet to issue an advisory to schools.

The last time it was close to this hot was the last week of April in 2003, when the temperature shot up to 42.7 degrees Celsius.