A temperature of 52.3°C, a national record, was recorded. recorded Wednesday &at New Delhi, the capital of India, where authorities warn of water shortages. This record temperature was recorded Wednesday afternoon in the New Delhi suburb of Mungeshpur by the country's meteorological department, beating by more than one degree Celsius the previous national record which had was recorded in the Rajasthan desert. Indian weather had already reported previous records for New Delhi, Tuesday at 49.9°C, then at 50.5° C Wednesday. Authorities in the city of some 30 million inhabitants have issued a red health alert for Wednesday. They warned of a “very high probability of developing heat-related illnesses and heat stroke at all ages” and called for “extreme vigilance” towards vulnerable people. Two women cool off in front of a fan during a heat peak in Varanasi, May 29, 2024 in India © AFP – Niharika KULKARNI The heat wave in central and northwest India “is expected to gradually ease” from Thursday, according to Indian Weather. In May 2022, 49.2°C was recorded in certain areas of the capital. Scorching temperatures are common in India during the summer but according to researchers, climate change is leading to longer, more frequent and more intense heat waves. On Wednesday, in the streets of Delhi, residents were fatalistic , not being able to do much to avoid the heat. – “Stay indoors” – “Everyone wants to stay indoors” , explains Roop Ram, 57, a snack seller, saying he has difficulty selling his savory donuts. A rickshaw driver, his face covered with a cloth, during record heat in New Delhi, May 29, 2024 in India © AFP – Arun SANKAR Mr. Ram, who lives with his wife and two sons in a cramped house, regrets that his small fan does not cool the atmosphere and prefers to count on the arrival of the rainy season in July. “I don't know what else we can do”, underlines Rani, 60, who travels two hours by bus every morning to sell, at a stand summary, jewelry for tourists. “It's definitely warmer, but there's nothing we can do about it,” she said, drinking water from a bottle brought from home. Authorities in New Delhi have warned of a risk of water shortages. Supply cuts have already occurred in certain places. The Minister of Water, Atishi Marlena, called for the “collective responsibility” of residents to avoid waste, the Times of India newspaper reported on Wednesday. “To solve the problem of water shortage, we have taken a series of measures such as reducing water supply from twice a day to once a day in many areas,” Ms. Atishi said, according to the Indian Express. – “Rationed water” – “The water thus saved will be rationed and distributed to areas (facing) a water shortage and where the supply lasts only 15 to 20 minutes per day”, she added. A man showers at a garden hose during record heat in New Delhi, May 29, 2024 in India © AFP – Arun SANKAR The Indian capital depends almost entirely on the neighboring agricultural states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, whose water needs are enormous. Indian Weather also warned of the health implications of heat, especially for infants, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses. It was in the state of Rajasthan that the highest temperatures were recorded on Tuesday, due to scorching winds, at 50.5°C.< /p> The desert region around the town of Phalodi, in the same state in northwest India, experienced a historic record of 51°C in 2016. Neighboring Pakistan also suffered severe heat waves, with a peak temperature estimated at 53°C on Sunday in Sindh, a province bordering India. Pakistan's weather bureau said it expected temperatures to drop starting Wednesday, but warned of more heatwaves in June. Bangladesh: Cyclone Remal © AFP – Nicholas SHEARMAN Meanwhile, the northeastern states of West Bengal and Mizoram have been hit by strong winds and torrential rains accompanying powerful cyclone Remal, which devastated India and Bangladesh on Sunday, killing more than 65 people. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department said the cyclone was one of the longest the country has ever experienced and blamed climate change for origin of this exceptional duration. All rights of reproduction and representation reserved. © (2024) Agence France-Presse
By Teilor Stone
Teilor Stone has been a reporter on the news desk since 2013. Before that she wrote about young adolescence and family dynamics for Styles and was the legal affairs correspondent for the Metro desk. Before joining Thesaxon , Teilor Stone worked as a staff writer at the Village Voice and a freelancer for Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Mirabella. To get in touch, contact me through my teilor@nizhtimes.com 1-800-268-7116