India is enduring one of its most intense early‑summer heatwaves, with 98 of the world’s 100 hottest cities now recorded on Indian soil, according to data from AQI.in and other environmental trackers. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded repeated heatwave alerts, as large parts of the country, especially in the north, central, and eastern regions, see temperatures consistently above 40°C, and some places edging close to or beyond 45°C.
Cities such as Orai and Auraiya in Uttar Pradesh, Jaisalmer and Phalodi in Rajasthan, and several locations in Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal feature prominently in the global list of hottest urban centres. Medinipur in West Bengal has even topped the rankings on some days, with its temperature readings leading the worldwide list. The trend highlights how India has effectively become the planet’s current “heat epicentre,” with the vast majority of extreme‑heat records now tied to Indian cities.
The IMD has warned that isolated heatwave conditions may persist over the next several days across Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and parts of central India. Coastal and eastern regions are also expected to face hot and humid weather, while warm nights in north India are compounding discomfort and raising the risk of heat‑related illnesses, especially for outdoor workers, children, and the elderly.
Health authorities and disaster‑management agencies have urged people to avoid prolonged sun exposure during peak hours, stay hydrated, and monitor vulnerable family members. The situation is also putting additional pressure on the power grid, as electricity demand for cooling soars, and on agriculture and water resources in already‑stressed districts. The scale of the current heatwave, with 98 of the world’s 100 hottest cities within India, is being cited as a stark indicator of how climate change is reshaping everyday weather patterns and making extreme‑heat events more frequent and severe.
