Hottest March day in Delhi since 2011, Vidarbha sizzles

New Delhi: The five hottest places in the country fell under Maharashtra's Vidarbha region even as other states including Delhi, which experienced the hottest March day since 2011, also reeled under searing heat on Friday.

Chandrapur in Vidarbha recorded 44.2 degrees Celsius, the highest maximum temperature in the country while Wardha (43.8 degrees), Akola (43.6 degrees), Bramhapur (43.3 degrees) and Nagpur (43.1 degrees) were the next hotest places in India, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data.

In Delhi, the Safdarjung observatory, whose recording is considered the official for the city, registered a maximum temperature of 38.6 degrees Celsius, five notches above the normal, making it the hottest day of March since 2011.

Another observatory in Palam, showed an even higher 40.2 degrees Celsius, also the highest in the last seven years.

Churu was the hottest place in Rajasthan recording 43 degrees Celsius while Kota followed with 41.3 degrees Celsius. Barmer and Bikaner registered 40.8 degrees Celsius each.

Pilani, Jaisalmer and Jaipur recorded maximum temperatures of 40.6 degrees Celsius, 40.5 degrees Celsius and 39.9 degrees Celsius respectively.

Banda was the hottest place in Uttar Pradesh. Several other districts like Varanasi, Faizabad, Jhansi and Agra registered above normal temperatures.

People in Punjab and Haryana too felt intense heat as the day temperatures went up by several notches above normal in many parts.

Narnaul continued to be the hottest place in Haryana recording a high of 41.9 degrees Celsius. Hisar sizzled at 40 degrees Celsius.

In Punjab, Patiala recorded a maximum 38 degrees Celsius, Ludhiana saw the mercury rising to 37.1 degrees Celsius, the MeT department said.

The maximum temperature in Amritsar was 34.8 degrees Celsius, five notches above normal. Chandigarh recorded a high of 35.5 degrees Celsius.