India is currently in the grips of severe heat wave and relentless drought, which shows little sign of abating. On Thursday, the country struggled through its hottest ever recorded day, with temperatures hitting 51C.
Image: AP
The Guardian reports that the temperature was recorded in Phalodi, which is located in the state of Rajasthan. While temperatures in high 40s are common in India at this time of year, those in excess of 50C are rare. The previous highest temperature of 50.6C was recorded in 1956.
It’s thought that as many as 300 people died as a result of high temperatures in April alone. With conditions looking set to worsen — the country’s weather office has warned of “severe heat wave” conditions occurring over the weekend — that number could sadly rise much further.
[Guardian]