A record temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius (127.22 Fahrenheit) reported for New Delhi was too high by 3 C, the Indian government said on Saturday, attributing it to a weather sensor error.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) investigated the reading from the weather station at Mungeshpur, a densely packed area of Delhi, and found a 3°C sensor error, earth sciences minister Kiren Rijiju stated.
"Corrective measures are now in place," the minister said, sharing the conclusion of a draft report about the all-time high reading on social media platform X. He did not provide a corrected figure for the temperature.
The IMD confirmed that the maximum temperature reported by the Mungeshpur weather station was incorrect due to a sensor malfunction.
Despite this, the city's heat record still seems to have been broken. Two other weather stations in the capital reported temperatures of 49 C (120.2 F) and 49.1 C (120.38 F) on Wednesday. The IMD verified these stations and found no sensor errors.
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The previous highest temperature recorded in New Delhi was 48.4 C (119.12 F) in May 1998, according to the draft IMD report.
Severe heat has affected parts of India for days. At least 33 people, including election officials on duty, died of suspected heatstroke in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar in the north, and Odisha in the east on Friday.
(Reuters)
Dharavi slum in Mumbai
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)