Garma garam: As Delhi swelters, a look at the hottest places in the world
Delhi was burning at 49.2 degrees Celsius on Sunday. But, there are places which are hotter. California’s Death Valley and Kebili in Tunisia have seen mercury levels cross the 50-degree Celsius mark
California’s Death Valley has the highest recorded temperature. AFP
On Sunday, Delhi turned into a hot cauldron when the National Capital recorded a whopping 49.2 degrees Celsius at Mungeshpur in northwest Delhi while Najafgarh in southwest part of the city recorded 49.1 degrees Celsius.
Gurugram in Haryana was scalding hot at 48.1 degrees Celsius — the highest since 10 May 1966, when the city logged 49 degrees Celsius.
With the mercury levels soaring at record highs, the weather agency advised people in northern India to avoid venturing outside their houses unless absolutely essential and to drink plenty of water even if not thirsty.
As North India bakes in the sweltering heat, here’s a look at some of places across the world that have been just too hot to handle.
Death Valley, California
Furnace Creek in America has lived up to its name as it holds the record for hottest air temperature ever recorded.
According to the World Meteorological Organization’s Global Weather & Climate Extremes Archive, temperatures in Death Valley reached international extremes when they hit 56.7 degrees Celsius in 1913.
Although some scientists debate the reliability of historic temperature readings, Death Valley reportedly hit 54.4 degrees Celsius in the summer of 2020. So there’s little doubt that this is one of the hottest places on Earth.
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
For the residents of Lake Havasu City in Arizona, the summer of 1994 will remain unforgettable. The city recorded a burning temperature of 53.3 degrees Celsius — a record which is yet to be broken.
Dasht-e Lut, Iran
This desert plateau has the hottest ground temperatures on the planet – satellite measurements taken between 2003 and 2009 found a maximum temperature of a staggering 70.7 degrees Celsius in 2005.
Needless to say, it’s uninhabited and there is no vegetation or animal life.
Kebili, Tunisia
Kebili is a town in the south of Tunisia, and is one of the oldest oases in North Africa. According to the World Meteorological Organization, Kebili has the highest temperature ever recorded in Africa of 55 degrees Celsius in 1931.
While this recording has been disputed, mid-July temperatures regularly reach around 40.9 degrees Celsius on a regular basis.
Also read: Explained: How heatwave affects your mental health
Mitribah, Kuwait
Mitribah, a remote area of northwest Kuwait, hit a sweltering 53.9 degrees Celsius on 21 July 2016.
This is the highest temperature ever recorded for the continental region of Asia.
A boy drinks water from a pipe at the water supply plant during heatwave in Jacobabad, in southern Sindh province, Pakistan. AFP
Aziziyah, Libya
This small town located close to Tripoli, claimed the title of hottest place on earth – in 1922 when the temperature was recorded as a sweltering 58 degrees Celsius.
However, it was stripped of its title in 2012 when meteorologists declared this invalid due to a number of factors, including the inexperience of the person recording the temperatures.
It is noteworthy that the town still regularly experiences temperatures of over 48 degrees Celsius in midsummer.
Turbat and Jacobabad, Pakistan
In May 2017, Turbat experienced blistering heat reaching about 53.7 degrees Celsius, one of the hottest temperatures recorded in Asia.
This was only rivalled by the temperature recorded in Jacobabad in Sindh province, which saw the mercury hovering at 51 degrees Celsius in 2022, making it the hottest place on the planet in 2022.
Basra, Iraq
A temperature of 53.9 degrees Celsius was recorded at Basra International Airport in Iraq on 22 July 2016.
Timbuktu, Mali
Best known for being the middle of nowhere, Timbuktu is also a hot-hot-hot place. Sitting on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, it recorded a high of 54.5 degrees Celsius.
Tirat Tsvi, Israel
This small kibbutz of Tirat Tsvi (population: 642) recorded a temperature of 54 degrees Celsius in June 1942. The town lies 722 feet (220 metres) below sea level.
Despite its burning heat, the town is one of the largest grower of dates in Israel.
With inputs from agencies
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