Searing heat in North, Delhi sizzles at 44 deg C

, May 19: Heat wave swept across Northern states as temperatures on Sunday soared past 45 degrees Celsius at several places affecting normal life in the region.

Churu in Rajasthan was the hottest place in the region with temperature touching 47 deg C. Delhi sizzled under a scorching 44.6 degrees Celcius on Sunday which was highest for the season, surpassing yesterday's 43.2 degrees Celcius. A Meteorological department official said that heat will rise further in the days to come. The day temperature was five notches above normal while the minimum settled at 25.9 degrees Celcius.

Humidity oscillated between 68 per cent and 19 per cent. Punjab and Haryana also witnessed a sudden rise in temperature during the past three days as the mercury hovered around the 45 degrees Celcius mark at most places.

Hisar in Haryana was the hottest place in the region as it recorded maximum at 46 degrees Celcius, up by five notches above normal, local MeT office said. Narnaul also sizzled at 45.5 degrees Celcius, up by six notches above normal.

Ambala experienced a hot day at 42.8 deg C, five degree above normal. In Punjab, maximum temperature at Chandigarh witnessed a further rise as it settled at 42.1 degrees Celcius, three notches above normal. Sweltering heat swept Amritsar and Ludhiana as both the places recorded identical maximum at 45.4 degrees Celcius, six and seven notches above normal respectively. Blistering heat swept Patiala too which recorded a high of 44.4 degrees Celcius, up by six notches.

The MeT department said in its forecast that severe heat wave conditions may occur in some parts of Punjab and Haryana during the next four days. Rajasthan also reeled under severe heat wave as temperature in Churu recorded 47.6 degrees Celcius. Kota, Sriganganagar, Bikaner, Jaipur and Barmer recorded 46.2, 45.7, 45, 44.6 and 44.5 degrees Celcius, respectively.

PTI