Prayagraj: The Sangam city continued to remain in the grip of scorching heat and sultry weather as it once again emerged as the hottest city in the country. Prayagraj recorded a maximum temperature of 43 degrees Celsius, which was 6.7 degrees above normal, while the minimum temperature settled at 29.5 degrees Celsius, making the night equally uncomfortable for residents.Prayagraj was closely followed by Sultanpur, which recorded 42.9 degrees Celsius, making it the second hottest city in the country. Significantly, Uttar Pradesh dominated the list of the 23 hottest cities in India during the day, with as many as 17 cities from the state featuring among the country’s hottest locations, underlining the widespread and intense heatwave-like conditions prevailing across the region.Though some localities of the city received scanty to heavy rainfall late on Wednesday night, it failed to bring any meaningful relief from the prevailing hot and humid conditions. Instead, the increased moisture in the atmosphere added to the discomfort, with relative humidity levels ranging between 37% and 56% throughout the day. The combined effect of intense sunshine, a warm night and sticky weather made conditions trying for residents.The impact of the severe weather was visible on roads and in marketplaces, where footfall remained thin during the afternoon as people preferred to stay indoors to escape the blazing sun. At the same time, several good Samaritans and social organisations came forward to provide relief by distributing free drinking water at various places across the city, especially on the occasion of Ekadashi.The delay in the monsoon has now become a matter of concern not only for city residents but also for farmers, who are anxiously awaiting its arrival. However, there appears to be no immediate sign of monsoon relief, with its advance into the region still looking remote.Varanasi too reeled under intense heat, recording the state’s highest minimum temperature of 30.2 degrees Celsius, while its maximum temperature reached 42.2 degrees Celsius.
