India bakes: 95 of world’s 100 hottest cities fall within its borders
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New Delhi: India continues to dominate the list of the world’s hottest cities as a severe heatwave affects large parts of the country.
According to real-time global temperature rankings recorded at 5 pm on Saturday, 95 of the 100 hottest cities worldwide are in India. The data reflects the extent of high temperatures being recorded across the country in the last week of April.
Temperatures have crossed 40°C in many areas from central India to the Indo-Gangetic plains, with some locations reporting values close to 45°C. States such as Maharashtra, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha are among the most affected, with several cities from these regions appearing in the global list.
The trend is not limited to major cities. Smaller towns are also reporting high temperatures and feature prominently in the rankings, indicating that the heatwave is widespread.
Weather experts link the conditions to dry winds, low cloud cover, absence of rainfall and a delay in pre-monsoon activity.
The India Meteorological Department has issued heatwave warnings for multiple states and indicated that the current conditions are likely to continue in the coming days. Health risks are higher for children, elderly people and those working outdoors.
The department has also forecast the possibility of thunderstorms and strong winds in parts of eastern and northeastern India in the coming days, which may bring temporary relief in some areas.
Last week, IMD forecast heatwaves for two weeks across India. The IMD has warned that temperatures may exceed 45°C in multiple states, with some areas likely to approach 48°C. The department indicated that India could become one of the hottest regions globally during this period.