While India is reeling under sweltering hot weather with temperatures soaring to as high as 47 degrees Celsius, reports of a 26-degree "heatwave" in the United Kingdom have grabbed the attention of Indians on social media. Unsurprisingly, citizens enduring Delhi's heat and Mumbai's excruciating humidity were left highly amused by this news and came up with witty responses on social media.
According to a report by The Mirror, the UK is expected to be "blasted" by a 48-hour 26C heatwave" with five cities in England to record the highest temperatures. "A heatwave is predicted to encase the UK at the month's end, as June finally warms up. The mercury, which currently lays low, is expected to at last climb towards the 30C mark by the end of June," the report said.
The post quickly went viral on social media, as many people were left surprised by the 'heatwave' of a mere 26 degrees, which is almost like the 'winter season' in Mumbai. Indian Forest Officer Parveen Kaswan quipped that the heatwave is just two degrees above the default AC setting in India.
"My AC is currently set at UK heatwave level," said one user, while another netizen remarked, "Delhiites surviving in its double in summer and 26 in winter, weak people."
The jokes were not only made by Indians, as other countries, including the United States and those in the Middle East, are also enduring "actual heatwaves", raising fears of climate change. "No way UK people are "melting" because of a 20 degrees Celsius "heatwave" lmao," said one user. Another said, "Most average cold day in the Middle East."
Heatwaves in India
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert on Monday for Delhi and its bordering states, including Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, due to ongoing severe heatwave conditions. The alert extends until June 19, with temperatures expected to remain dangerously high. Maximum temperatures soared to 47.6 degrees Celsius in Prayagraj and 26.2 degrees in Nubra, nestled in the high Himalayas.
In the national capital, temperatures exceeded 45 degrees Celsius, seven degrees higher than normal. Dehradun in Uttarakhand recorded 43.1 degrees Celsius, 9.5 degrees above normal, while Una in Himachal Pradesh hit 44 degrees Celsius, 6.7 degrees above average. Katra in Jammu and Kashmir recorded 40.8 degrees Celsius, 5.7 degrees above normal, and Jammu reached 44.3 degrees Celsius.
Rajasthan also saw intensified heatwave conditions. Ganganagar recorded the highest temperature at 46.2 degrees Celsius, 4.9 degrees above normal. Pilani, Churu, Karauli, Dholpur, Alwar, Bikaner, Bharatpur, and Phalodi reported temperatures ranging from 44 to 45.9 degrees Celsius. The intense heat wave affecting regions from Ladakh to Jharkhand and across northwest India continues to break records, with temperatures significantly above normal.
