Parts of India scorch under sweltering heat wave

Swathes of north and west India are sweltering under an intense heat wave with temperatures shooting up beyond 40 degrees mark in several places. In the temple town of Varanasi, where the mercury has been forecasted to reach around 45 degree Celsius by the end of the week, very few tourists were seen on the streets. Similar scenes played out in Allahabad, about 120 km away from Varanasi. Few people, who ventured out, covered their face with a cloth and shielded themselves from sunlight with an umbrella.