India’s summer boils over, temps at 52-year high

New Delhi:  The northern half of the country boiled over on Saturday with temperatures recording a 52-year high for the month of April in New Delhi and across the northern belt. Hill station Shimla, a perennial summer favourite for the people from the plains, too recorded the highest temperatures for well over a decade.

On Saturday the mercury shot up to 43.7 degree Celsius in Delhi. This was eight degrees above normal level for this time of the year and also the highest in this season. The lows were also at an all time high for the month - at 26.5 deg C, six degrees above normal.

Hill station Shimla recorded 29.6 deg C on Saturday, the highest in well over a decade.

The border, and desert, state of Rajasthan recorded temperatures at over 40 deg C across the region. The city of 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.

Neighbouring state Haryana recorded the highest temperature at 45.8 deg C at Hisar, which is the hottest ever in 52 years. This was just below the temperature recorded on 27 April 1958 when the high had soared to 47.9 deg C.

Chandigarh too experienced a severe heat wave with the mercury rising to 42.6 deg C with Patiala in Punjab recording the highest temperatures hottest with 44.6 deg C.