A red alert remained in place across Delhi on Thursday as the Capital sizzled under an intense heatwave, with maximum temperatures surging to 45.2 degrees Celsius in some parts and the “feels-like†temperature reaching a staggering 52 degrees Celsius, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Issued by the IMD, the alert called for extreme caution, advising residents to stay hydrated, avoid direct sun exposure and limit outdoor activities, especially during afternoon hours.
Mungeshpur recorded the highest temperature at 45.2 degrees Celsius, followed closely by Ridge and Ayanagar at 44.2 degrees each. Safdarjung and Palam stations reported 43.9 degrees Celsius, while Pitampura logged 43.1 degrees.
Other areas, including Mayur Vihar (41.2), Rajghat (40.8), and Najafgarh (41.0), also reported significantly higher-than-normal temperatures. The minimum temperature at Safdarjung stood at 30.7 degrees, about 2.7 degrees above average and humidity ranged from 39 per cent to 73 per cent, making conditions feel even more suffocating.
The IMD warned that heatwave conditions would continue in isolated parts of the city through Thursday. However, some respite may come later in the day with predictions of a partly cloudy sky, accompanied by light rain or thunderstorms, possibly with dust storms, lightning and gusty winds reaching 40–50 kmph and even up to 60 kmph during storm activity.
On Friday, Delhi is expected to remain hot and humid, with daytime temperatures ranging between 41 and 43 degrees Celsius. Light rain and gusty winds are likely to continue in the evening.
A slow drop in temperatures is forecast from June 14, with expected highs of 37–39 degrees Celsius. More significant relief may come between June 16 and 18, when the IMD has predicted light to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms. Officials said that no heatwave conditions are expected after June 13.
In light of the severe weather, Delhi Power Minister Ashish Sood on Thursday held a high-level meeting with senior officials of the Power Department and representatives of all three power distribution companies operating in the city. Following the meeting, Sood directed the companies to immediately strengthen infrastructure to meet the city’s rising power demand, which has peaked due to the ongoing heatwave.
He instructed discoms to replace outdated power grids, lay new underground cables, and adopt modern technologies to enhance power generation and distribution. Sood also emphasised the need for real-time fault detection systems to minimise response time during power outages, especially those triggered by strong winds, falling trees, or heavy rain.
Sood noted that the government is working seriously to ensure uninterrupted power supply, and warned that any negligence in this regard would not be tolerated. He also urged the companies to expand solar energy adoption, install solar panels wherever conventional meters are not feasible, and replicate the successful battery bank model implemented in Kilokri to enhance backup capacity.
As Delhi braces for more scorching days ahead, residents are urged to take all necessary precautions against the extreme heat.
