Rain Brings Respite To Delhi After Mercury Hits Record 52.3 Degree Celcius

A couple of hours following Delhi registering the highest temperature ever recorded in the country at 52.3 degrees Celsius, the capital city experienced rainfall this afternoon, providing some relief from the intense heat.

Delhi has been suffering from severe heatwave conditions in recent days. Although the maximum temperature has been staying around 50 degrees Celsius, the minimum temperature is approaching 30 degrees.

Delhi's Mungeshpur area logged a maximum of 52.3 degrees Celsius. On Tuesday, the weather station in the northwest Delhi locality recorded 49.9 degrees Celsius.

An IMD official told PTI, areas such as Mungeshpur and Narela on Delhi's outskirts are the first to receive hot winds coming in from Rajasthan, leading to extreme heat conditions.

"Parts of Delhi are particularly susceptible to the early arrival of these hot winds, worsening the already severe weather. Areas like Mungeshpur, Narela and Najafgarh are the first to experience the full force of these hot winds," IMD regional head Kuldeep Srivastava said, according to a PTI report.

The national capital reported its all-time high power demand of 8,302 megawatts (MW) amid the heatwave as more and more residents turned on power-intensive air-conditioning, electricity department officials said, NDTV reported.

Adding to the challenges faced by residents of Delhi, a looming water crisis has emerged.

State minister Atishi Marlena said the Haryana government is withholding the national capital's portion of Yamuna water, resulting in water scarcity in certain regions.

In response, the AAP government has instructed the Delhi Jal Board to establish 200 teams to oversee and reduce water wastage. Penalties amounting to Rs 2,000 will be imposed for activities such as washing cars with hose pipes, allowing tanks to overflow, and utilizing drinking water for commercial purposes.