- Delhi schools close early due to 47.4°C heatwave
- Government orders immediate closure amid severe heat
- Najafgarh records highest temperature in India at 47.4°C
After Delhi’s temperatures reached 47.4°C (117°F), authorities have instructed schools to close early for the summer holiday.
According to a government order cited by the Hindustan Times on Tuesday, city officials instructed schools to close with “immediate effect” in response to the extreme heat, thereby shortening the duration by a few days.
India’s weather bureau has issued a warning regarding “severe heatwave conditions” this week. On Monday, the highest temperature in the country was recorded in Delhi’s Najafgarh suburb, at 47.4C.
India Today reported that authorities in other states, such as Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana, have also ordered the closure of schools.
India is accustomed to scorching summer temperatures; however, years of scientific research have revealed that the climate crisis is causing heat waves to become more frequent, intense, and prolonged.
The Indian Meteorological Department issued a warning regarding the potential health consequences of the heat, with a particular emphasis on the elderly, infants, and individuals with chronic diseases.
Indian media reported that in May 2022, portions of Delhi experienced temperatures of 49.2C (120.5F).
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The subsequent round of voting in India’s six-week-long election, which includes Delhi, will occur on Saturday. The turnout has decreased, with analysts positing that the hotter-than-average weather and the prevalent expectation that Narendra Modi will easily secure a third term as prime minister are contributing factors.
A task force has been established by the Indian Election Commission to evaluate the effects of heatwaves and humidity prior to each voting round.
Simultaneously, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, two of India’s southernmost states, have been the recipients of torrential rainfall in recent days.
Last week, severe cyclones struck other regions of the nation, including Mumbai, the financial capital. A billboard was destroyed by strong winds, resulting in the deaths of 16 individuals and the entrapment of dozens more.
