New Delhi, April 29 2009: THE NATIONAL capital on Wednesday experienced the hottest day of April in half a century as the mercury touched 43.5 degrees Celsius, forcing a majority of the people to remain indoors or use protective cover from heat.

He said Wednesday's temperature is a record for the month of April in the past 50 years, B P Yadav, Director of Indian Meteorological Department, told a news agency.

Wednesday's maximum was five degrees above normal during this period of time and it rose from Tuesday's 42.2 degrees Celsius, met department said, The minimum was recorded at 24.4 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal, the MeT Department said.

Weathermen predicted no relief from the scorching sun on Thursday with the mercury likely to remain at 43 degrees and minimum rising to 27 degrees Celsius.

"There is no thunder shower activity and dry wind from deserts are blowing into the city," Yadav said.

Jalgaon in Western Maharashtra witnessed hottest day of the season with the maximum being recorded at 48 degrees Celsius, Bhusawal registered 45.5 degrees, while Adilabad in Andhra Pradesh was sizzling at 44 degrees.

In Orissa, the heat wave conditions continuing for the last few days has so far alleged to have claimed 58 lives.

But the state Revenue and Disaster Management department confirmed only four deaths so far due to sunstroke and maintained that as many as 14 of the 58 reported sun stroke deaths, died of various other reasons.

Out of the four confirmed deaths while two were reported from Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur and Ganjam reported one death each.

In north-west and northern regions mercury kept rising with Hisar recording maximum at 43.4 degrees, the national capital witnessed highest temperature at 42.2 degrees in last six years in the month of April.

In Jammu temperature rose to 39.4, at least three degrees above normal, while minimum was recorded at 19 degrees.

Hot winds blowing in Delhi, coupled with a clear and bright Sun, led to a sharp rise in maximum temperature to 42.2 degrees, four degrees above normal.

Earlier, in the morning, the minimum temperature also shot up, from 23.5 degrees yesterday, to 26.1 degrees, three degrees above normal.

The heat wave condition in Bihar intensified further with the maximum rising to 44.4 degrees in several places.

According to the local weather office, Gaya and its neighbourhood recorded a maximum temperature of 44.4 degree, more than five degree above normal, while in Patna it was 41.8 degree Celcius during the day.

The heat wave continued to sweep low-lying areas of state in Jammu region unlike upper reaches of hilly Doda, Udhampur, Kishtwar districts and the Kashmir.

With the mercury soaring and crossing 40-degree mark at various places, Taj city of Agra recorded the hottest at 42.6 degrees in the last 24 hours in Uttar Pradesh.

Jhansi was hot at 42.3 degrees, Allahabad pegged at 41.7 degrees, while temperature was appreciably above normal in Varanasi, Faizabad, Lucknow and Bareilly.

Taking note of the inclement weather conditions and nearing polling day on April 30, the Lucknow district administration had already declared a two-day holiday in schools for today and tomorrow.

North Maharashtra continued to be in grip of heatwave with temperature in Bhusaval reaching 47 degrees Celsius, the Met Department said.

Hot winds blowing from Rajasthan and Kutch area of Gujarat have reduced humidity and led to rise in temperatures, they said.

Four other districts - Nashik, Jalgaon, Dhule, and Nandurbar - have recorded day temperatures in the range of 41 and 45.5 degrees Celsius.

Hot weather in the region was likely to continue for a few more days, the sources said.

People are staying indoors in their homes and offices to avoid the heat outdoor.

Cold drink, sugarcane and fruit juice shops and vendors, besides ice-cream parlours are doing a brisk business.

People are taking to swimming pools and taking a dip in the Godavari river to beat the heat.

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