New Delhi: North India remained in the grip
of blistering heat on Saturday with the mercury soaring to a 52-year
high for the month of April in the national capital and Shimla
recording the highest temperature in over a decade.
Heat wave threw normal life out of gear in the national
capital with the mercury shooting up to 43.7 degree Celsius, a
52-year high for this month.
The maximum was eight degree above normal level for this
time of the year and also the highest in this season. The low
also recorded a high for the month at 26.5 deg C, six degrees
above normal. The minimum was also the highest during this
month.
Mercury settled at 29.6 deg C, highest in the past over a
decade, in the `Queen of Hills` Shimla.
Situation was no better in other parts of the hill state.
Una was the hottest with maximum temperature of 43.2 deg C
followed by Sundernagar at 39.9 deg C and Mandi (36.7 deg C).
Heat wave continued unabated in the desert state of
Rajasthan with most of the places reeling at over 40 deg C.
Ganganagar was the hottest with 47.0 deg C followed by
Kota and Jaisalmer at 45.7 deg C each. `Pink City` Jaipur
recorded a temperature of 44.1 deg C.
In neighbouring Haryana, intense heat continued to sweep
the state with Hisar recording the highest temperature at 45.8
deg C, the hottest ever in 52 years.
The hottest ever day in April in Hisar was on April 27,
1958 when the high had soared to 47.9 deg C.
A farmer died due to heat wave yesterday at Jhinjhauli
village in Sonepat district, where maximum temperature settled
around 43 deg C.
Ambala and Karnal also continued to bake at 43.4 and 43.6
deg C respectively.
Chandigarh too experienced severe heat wave with the
mercury rising to 42.6 deg C.
In Punjab, Patiala was the hottest with 44.6 deg C.
The city of Golden Temple Amritsar recorded 43.1 deg C,
nine degrees above normal.
PTI
