India heatwave: weather bureau says record 52.9 degrees Celsius in Delhi could be sensor ‘error’
- India Meteorological Department said the reading at a station in the suburb of Mungeshpur may have been due to an ‘error’ in the measuring equipment
- Power usage also soared in the capital as city authorities warned of dire water shortages and ordered teams to clamp down on wastage
But India’s government-run weather bureau said a station reading showing a potentially record-breaking temperature in the capital may have been due to an “error” in the measuring equipment.
As people sought relief from the scorching temperatures, the electricity grid groaned under a record peak power demand of 8,302 megawatts, according to official data.
India is no stranger to searing summer temperatures but years of scientific research have found climate change is causing heatwaves to become longer, more frequent and more intense.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), which reported “severe heatwave conditions”, this week issued a red alert health notice for Delhi, which has an estimated population of more than 30 million people.
The alert warns there is a “very high likelihood of developing heat illness and heatstroke in all ages”, with “extreme care needed for vulnerable people”.
