Children try to beat the heat in Delhi
Monday turned out to be another gruelingly hot day for Delhi, with the Meteorological Observatory in Safdarjung recording a maximum temperature of 45.5 degrees - the hottest day of the season in the national capital.
The heat wave is expected to continue for the next three to four days, the Meteorological Department has said.
The capital, which is reeling under the season's hottest temperatures, will get some reprieve on June 29, when much-awaited monsoon rains are likely to hit the city, the meteorological department said today.
Monsoon rains had reached the coast of southern Kerala on June 6, though officials of the meteorological department had warned that monsoons are expected to be below normal this year.
Today, India's new science minister Jitendra Singh said "the country is likely to get below normal rainfall in the monsoon season. It could be 93% or 80.1 cm of rain in the monsoon period."
Mr Singh added "We don't need to be alarmist but we need to prepare for less than normal rain." (
Read: India Should Brace for 'Sub-Normal' Monsoon)
Meanwhile, the temperature continued to soar in the national capital today with the minimum temperature being two notches above the season's average at 30.1 degrees Celsius.
With power outages at night and water problems due to electricity shortages in several parts of the city, Delhiites are facing a tough time.
"Even when we get up at 6.30 am, it is very hot. Life has become very difficult without power and water," said Gurjeet Singh, a resident of Lajpat Nagar.
Sunday's maximum temperature had settled five notches above the season's average at 45.1 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature settled a notch above the average at 28.6 degrees Celsius.