A severe heatwave is gripping large parts of India, with the capital city of New Delhi topping 46 degrees Celsius and some northern regions breaking temperature records, meteorologists warned on Monday.
Experts from India's meteorological department predict that the extreme heat will persist in parts of the country through Thursday and Friday, posing major challenges for outdoor workers.
"The hot weather has caused us a lot of trouble. Even in the evening, it would still be 42 or 43 degrees Celsius, and on Tuesday, the temperature hit 46 degrees. Workers cover their heads up like this to shield from the sun, try to stay in the shade as much as possible, and cut back on time outdoors. We always carry lemon water and drink plenty to stay healthy, just barely managing to keep working," said Umakant, an outdoor worker in New Delhi. Apart from the capital, Uttar Pradesh and other regions are also suffering intense heat. In some parts of Uttar Pradesh, the temperatures reached up to 48.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, the highest recorded there since 1951.
Forecasters expect the scorching conditions to continue across much of India for at least another week.
Northern India swelters as temperatures hit record highs
Northern India swelters as temperatures hit record highs
