According to the India Meteorological Department, at Delhi’s Safdarjung weather station, the minimum night temperature on Thursday was 31.9 degrees Celsius, marking the hottest May night in fourteen years.
The temperature is 5 degrees above normal for the month. Meanwhile, the maximum temperature day temperature on Thursday stood at 43.6°C, which was 3.4°C above normal.
The last time Delhi witnessed such high night temperature during the month was on May 26, 2012, when the minimum temperature recorded by IMD was 32.5°C.
Cooling Shelters Provide Respite
Cooling shelters set up across the Capital provide some respite as temperatures become dangerously high. Equipped with air coolers, fans, drinking water, and ORS, the shelters saw people stopping by throughout the day to escape the harsh weather.
On Wednesday, officials in one such shelter distributed water mixed with rehydration salts while people sat near coolers to recover from the heat.
“We had come here for an outing. But it is too hot here. The cooling system here is good for us,” 25-year-old tourist Basharat Ahmad Malla told AP.
Rise In Heatstroke Cases
Rising temperatures are beginning to impact the health of citizens, as the season’s first two heatstroke cases were recorded at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, with both patients in a critical condition.
Hospital officials said a 24-year-old student was brought to the hospital around 1.45 am after falling seriously ill while travelling on a train. Doctors said he was suffering from nausea, faecal incontinence and altered consciousness with body temperature exceeding 105°F.
Another patient, a 55-year-old man, was brought unconscious to the hospital by the police at around 10.45 am with body temperature of 104°F, officials said.
At the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, doctors said there had been a noticeable rise in patients reporting heat-related symptoms.
“The temperature is rising. In Delhi, it is between 45 and 47 degrees, many more patients are coming to us,” Dr Atul Kakar, chairperson of the Department of Internal Medicine, reported ANI.
Doctors warn that prolonged exposure to extreme heat can lead to heatstroke, one of the most severe heat-related illnesses, capable of damaging the brain, kidneys, heart and muscles if treatment is delayed.
Power Demand Spikes
The extreme heat pushed Delhi’ electricity demands to record levels for the second consecutive day.
According to State Load Despatch Centre (SLDC) data, Delhi recorded a peak power demand of 8,231 megawatts at 3.31 pm on Thursday, narrowly below the all-time May high of 8,302 MW recorded on May 29 in 2024.
As reported by HT, Delhi’s peak power demand is expected to touch 9,000 MW this summer, with discoms already preparing for this expected surge.
Fire Reports Surge
The rise in temperature has led to multiple fire incidents. According to Delhi Fire Services data, the department has been receiving nearly one fire-related call every seven minutes this week.
Four major fires were reported on Thursday alone, including a PG accommodation in Tagore garden, two warehouses in Siraspur, a residential building in Gulabi Bagh and a forested area near the Yamuna floodplains. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
Orange Alert Issued
Delhi remains under an orange heatwave alert on Friday with the IMD forecasting maximum temperatures between 43°C and 45°C under mainly clear skies. Strong surface winds of 15-25 kmph, gusting up to 35 kmph, are expected through the day amid continuing heatwave conditions across parts of the Capital.
The IMD has extended its “orange” alert for heatwave conditions till May 27. “In this likely scenario where lower tropospheric dry north-westerly to westerly winds are prevailing and the absence of a strong western disturbance, heatwave conditions will continue to impact Delhi till May 27,” the official said, as per Hindustan Times.
No Relief Expected
Weather experts said that Delhi is unlikely to benefit from a weak western disturbance that has begun affecting the western Himalayan region, and the national capital region will probably not see any significant drop in temperatures.
