Parts of northern India scorched by extreme heat with New Delhi on high alert

By SHONAL GANGULY
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — Parts of northwest India are sweltering under scorching temperatures with the capital New Delhi under a severe weather alert as extreme temperatures strike parts of the country. India’s weather department expects heat wave conditions to persist across the north for the next few days, and has put several states on high alert. On Friday, parts of New Delhi reported up to 47.1 degrees Celsius, or 116 Fahrenheit. The extreme temperatures in northern India coincide with a 6-week-long general election, with experts worried that the heat wave could increase health risks as people wait in long lines to cast their vote or candidates campaign aggressively in the outdoors.