Temperatures above 52°C were reported Wednesday afternoon in Mungeshpur, on the outskirts of New Delhi. However, the India Meteorological Department later warned that this was an “anomaly”.
Is it true that the national temperature record in India was really broken on Wednesday, May 29? This Wednesday, May 29, the Indian meteorological service initially announced that the Mungeshpur station, on the outskirts of New Delhi, recorded a temperature above 52°C. Never seen before in the country.
But hours later, the India Meteorological Department said in a statement that the temperature recorded by the Mungeshpur station was “an anomaly compared to other stations.”
“This could be due to a sensor error or local factors,” he said, adding that he was looking at “data and sensors.”
National record or not, the past few days have been marked by unprecedented heat in the capital. The Indian meteorological service reported a temperature of 49.9°C in New Delhi on Tuesday.
An easing of the heat wave is expected on Thursday
Authorities in the city of about 30 million people issued a red health alert on Wednesday, warning of “high likelihood of heat-related illnesses and heat strokes in all ages” and calling for “extreme vigilance” for vulnerable people.
New Delhi authorities have also warned of the risk of water shortages. Supply cuts have already been seen in some places.
Water Minister Atishi Marlena called for “collective responsibility” from citizens to end waste, reports Wednesday Times of India newspaper.
The heat wave in central and northwest India is “expected to subside gradually” from Thursday, according to India Weather.
Scorching temperatures are common in India during summer, but researchers say climate change is causing longer, more frequent and more intense heat waves.