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India
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Explainer | Why is it so hot in India now?

  • India’s capital recorded the country’s highest ever temperature at 52.9 degrees Celsius (127 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday
  • A large population, scattered vegetation, increased construction and climate change are all adding to the problem

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A woman drinks water as she waits for bus on a hot day in Mumbai late last month. Photo: AP
Reuters
Several parts of India grappled with unusually high temperatures this week, forcing schools to close and hospitals to create special units to treat heat-related illnesses, while workers on construction sites were given a “paid holiday” in the afternoon.

Here is a look at what caused the unprecedented heat in the country.

How unusual has this year been?

While every year temperatures in India tend to peak in the months of May and June, the number of heatwave days recorded over northwestern and eastern parts of the country this season have been more than double the normal, with eastern India also experiencing its hottest April on record.

India declares a heatwave day when the maximum temperature in any given region is 4.5 -6.4 degrees Celsius higher than normal.

Parts of the country have touched new highs in terms of the maximum temperature, including Delhi, which recorded the country’s highest ever temperature at 52.9 degrees (127.22 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday.

While this figure may be revised as officials are investigating whether it was caused by an error in the sensor, two areas in Delhi also recorded 49.9 degrees a day earlier – an all-time high for the city.

In northern Haryana state, which surrounds Delhi from three sides, the Rohtak region recorded its highest-ever temperature on Friday at 47.5 degrees.

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