Although a record temperature of 52.3°C was previously recorded this Wednesday, May 29 in New Delhi, the capital of India, this may have been caused by a malfunction in the measuring instrument, according to the services of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The Mungeshpur weather station, located on the outskirts of New Delhi, has “reported a temperature of 52.9°C, an anomaly compared to other stations”said the India Meteorological Department in a press release. “This may be due to sensor error or local factors”he continued, emphasizing that he was checking “data and sensors“.

Other weather monitoring sites in the city recorded temperatures that Wednesday “varies between 45.2°C and 49.1°C”. However, a day earlier, two stations in the capital, namely Mungeshpur and Narela, reported a temperature of 49.9°C, without knowing whether this figure was also in question. “Temperatures in urban areas vary from one place to another”the meteorological agency urged, explaining that these variations may be caused by factors such as the proximity of water, parks or high housing density.

Great AC

“In open land where there is empty land, the radiation increases. Direct sunlight and lack of shade make this area very hot.agrees Mahesh Palawat, vice president of the meteorology and climate change department at Skymet Weather.

New Delhi also increased its energy demand amid the heatwave, to 8,302 megawatts (MW), as residents turned on their energy-guzzling air conditioning systems en masse. This is the first time in the capital's history that electricity demand has exceeded the 8,300 MW figure. The electricity distribution company estimates demand will peak at 8,200 MW this summer.

Earlier, the country's weather department issued a red alert for much of northwestern India, warning of severe heatwaves ahead. Authorities also warned “high likelihood of heat-related illness and heat stroke at any age” and called to demonstrate “extreme vigilance” towards vulnerable people. They also called for reducing water consumption, while supply cuts have already occurred in some places.

53°C in Pakistan

The Indian weather service estimates that the heat wave may subside on Thursday, May 30. A fresh disturbance is expected over northwestern parts of India, likely to cause heavy rains in the region over the weekend.

In Pakistan, a strong heat wave also caused temperatures to rise to 53°C on Sunday May 26 in Sindh, a province bordering India. Millions of children were prevented from attending school to protect them from the fires. Although scorching temperatures are common in both countries during the summer, climate change is causing longer, more frequent and more intense heat waves. In 2022, temperatures in New Delhi peaked at 49.2°C and in 2016, thermometers read 51°C in Phalodi, on the edge of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan, the highest confirmed temperature recorded in India.

Renew : at 19:29 with temperature anomalies.