INTENSE HEAT CONTINUES

Scorching heat continued in many parts of the country even as the maximum temperature dipped in the national capital while parts of Bihar and Himachal Pradesh received rains.

The national capital remained in the grip of severe heatwave although the maximum temperature witnessed a dip from what it was on Thursday.

The Safdarjung observatory, whose recording is considered the official figure for the city, recorded a maximum temperature of 40.2 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season's average. On Thursday, the maximum temperature in the city was 43.2 degrees Celsius. Heatwave conditions prevailed in Rajasthan with most places in the state recording maximum temperatures above 41 degrees Celsius.

Churu was the hottest place in the state with a maximum temperature of 46.5 degrees Celsius. In Pilani the maximum temperature was 44.6 degrees Celsius, followed Sriganganagar and Kota both at 44.3 degrees Celsius, Bikaner at 43.6 degrees Celsius, Jaisalmer at 43.5 degrees Celsius and Jaipur at 43.3 degrees Celsius.

Heatwave condition further intensified in most parts of Odisha, mainly in the western region, with Angul becoming the hottest place in the state recording a maximum temperature of 44.7 degrees Celsius.

The mercury breached the 40-degree mark in at least 11 places in the state, with the local MET office predicting that intense heatwave conditions would persist for some more days.