Swathes of India Reel from Scorching Heat for 8th Day on Trot, Phalodi in Raj Sizzles at 49 Degrees

New Delhi: mercury surged to 49 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan's Phalodi -- highest temperature recorded in country this year -- as a sweltering heat wave stewed northwest India and some parts of central region on Friday.

Official data showed that at least 23 places in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Presh, Gujarat, and Mhya Presh recorded maximum temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius or above on Friday.

extreme heat will continue in parts of Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, west Uttar Presh and west Mhya Presh until May 28.

This means thousands of voters may face scorching temperatures when y step out to exercise ir franchise in sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections on Saturday.

Around 11.43 crore people are eligible to vote in sixth phase during which polling will be held in 58 seats spre across eight states and Union territories.

In Rajasthan, Phalodi logged a maximum temperature of 49 degrees Celsius on Friday, highest recorded so far this year.

Jaisalmer and Barmer in desert state sizzled at 48.3 degrees and 48.2 degrees. Akola and Jalgaon in Maharashtra reached 45.8 degrees and 45.4 degrees. Mhya Presh's Ratlam and Rajgarh recorded a high of 46.2 degrees and 46.3 degrees.

Maximum temperatures settled at 45.4 degrees in Haryana's Sirsa, 44.8 degrees in Punjab's Bathinda, and 45.5 degrees in Gujarat's Ahmedab and Gandhinagar.

Met office issued a 'red' warning for Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west Uttar Presh and Gujarat, emphasising a "very high likelihood" of heat illness and heatstroke in all ages.

It said warm night conditions could furr exacerbate heat-related stress in Uttar Presh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan over next four days.

High night temperatures are considered dangerous because body doesn't get a chance to cool down. Increasing nighttime heat is more common in cities because of urban heat island effect, in which metro areas are significantly hotter than ir surroundings.

punishing heat is straining power grids and drying up water bodies, triggering drought-like conditions in parts of country.

According to Central Water Commission, water storage in 150 major reservoirs in India plunged to ir lowest level in five years last week, exacerbating water shortages in many states and significantly affecting hydropower generation.

Water levels in Delhi stretch of Yamuna River have dropped amid sweltering heat, affecting water supply.

city also saw power demand reaching a record 8,000 megawatts on Wednesday, with air conditioners, coolers, and refrigerators in homes and offices running at full throttle.

Severe and frequent heat waves are furr burdening low-income households in country, which often have poor access to water and cooling, and testing endurance of outdoor workers toiling in searing sun, forcing m to take frequent breaks.

Anna Walnycki of London-based International Institute for Environment and Development said: "Low-income households have limited capacity to apt to extreme heat because of poor access to water and electricity. In dition, design and construction of informal houses often mean re is poor ventilation and little shelter from extreme heat." Experts say outdoor workers, elderly, and children are at higher risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. According to World Health Organization, more than 1,66,000 people died as a result of heat waves between 1998 and 2017.

India reported 3,812 deaths due to heat waves between 2015 and 2022, with Andhra Presh alone logging 2,419 fatalities, government told Parliament in July last year.

People are less productive during hot wear, and children struggle to learn.

Shyamal Santra of NGO Transform Rural India said studies show that students perform worse in tests when y experience a 'hot school year' compared to a 'cool school year'.

"With 15 per cent of government schools in India not having a functional electricity connection and many being single-classroom schools, heat waves disproportionately affect rural educational outcomes," he said.

In absence of equate cold-chain infrastructure, extreme heat can cause major damage to fresh produce.

Studies show India faces food losses worth USD 13 billion a year, with only four per cent of fresh produce covered by cold chain facilities.

According to a World Bank report, India could account for 34 million of projected 80 million global job losses from heat stress-associated productivity decline by 2030.

With 75 per cent of workers in India experiencing heat-related stress, lost labour from rising heat and humidity could result in a loss of up to 4.5 per cent of India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (equivalent to approximately USD 150-250 billion) by end of this dece, according to a report by McKinsey Global Institute. 

Heat Wave in Dharamshala 

Following heat wave conditions, all government and private schools will remain closed on May 25 in Indora, Fatehpur, Jawali, and Nurpur subdivisions of Kangra district, officials said on Friday.

intense heat wave conditions, which pose a risk to public health, are forecasted to continue for coming days, MeT office in Shimla h informed earlier, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner, Kangra Hemraj Bairwa ordered closure of all government and private schools on Saturday in sub-divisions of Indora, Fatehpur, Jawali, and Nurpur in district Kangra.

On Friday, Una was hottest during day recording a maximum temperature of 40.6 degrees Celsius while Kangra recorded a high of 35.2 degrees Celsius, as per MeT Office.

MeT also issued a yellow warning of heat wave at isolated places in low hills till May 28.

Deputy Commissioner of Una, Jatin Lalit h earlier ordered closure of all government and private pre-primary and primary schools in district on Friday and Saturday and said that in schools where examinations are scheduled, exams would be held from 7 am to 11 am.

Instructions were also given to provide all facilities like drinking water, fans, coolers or air conditioning in examination halls of schools.