The government’s weather agency reported that dangerously high temperatures were expected in the sprawling megacity of India on Wednesday, as the country’s capital saw temperatures surge to a national record-high of 52.3 degrees Celsius (126.1 Fahrenheit).
As the temperature was recorded at a station in the Mungeshpur suburb of Delhi on Wednesday afternoon, it was automatically published on the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) website, which declared “severe heat-wave conditions”.
Soma Sen Roy, an IMD meteorologist, issued a warning, saying that authorities were “checking out” if the station had accurately documented it.
The recording not only broke the landmark 50C measurement for the first time ever in the city, but smashed the previous national record in the desert of Rajasthan by more than one degree Celsius.
With an anticipated population of over 30 million, the IMD has issued a red alert health advisory for Delhi.
Extreme care is required for those who are vulnerable as there is a “very high likelihood of developing heat illness and heat stroke in all ages,” according to the advisory.
According to official data, the electricity grid sputtered under a record peak power demand of 8,302 megawatts as people tried to escape the sweltering weather.
On Wednesday, the city of Delhi issued a warning about severe water shortages and directed staff to reduce waste.
