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. Shimla too recorded 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.
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.