North, central India sizzle under severe heatwave, nearly 50 degree C in parts of Delhi

Extreme heatwave grips northern and central India, with temperatures soaring above 50 degrees Celsius, testing power grids and water supplies.

Large parts of northern and central India were in the grip of extreme heatwave conditions on May 28 with the mercury crossing 50 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan's Churu and Haryana's Sirsa and settling nine notches above normal in Delhi.

At least three weather stations in Delhi recorded maximum temperatures of 49 degrees Celsius or more. Mungeshpur and Narela in Delhi clocked 49.9 degrees followed by Najafgarh at 49.8 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

This was the highest maximum temperature recorded in the capital this season. However, Mungeshpur and Narela weather stations came up in 2022 and have records only for the last three years.

The IMD said respite from the heatwave conditions could be in sight after May 30.

It said that a fresh western disturbance was expected over parts of northwest India on Thursday which could bring isolated rainfall over the region on the weekend.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra has attributed the heatwave conditions over northwest and central India to the absence of western disturbances during the latter half of May.

Western disturbances are extra-tropical weather systems formed over the Mediterranean Sea that move from the west to the east.