New Delhi: With mercury crossing the 50-degree mark in Rajasthan's Churu at 50.8 degrees Celsius, nine notches above normal, summers in India have been brutal with scorching heatwave conditions that has gripped large swathes of the country on Saturday.

The entire state of Rajasthan reeled under intense heatwave conditions with Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Kota recording their maximums at 49, 47.9, 47.2 and 46 degrees Celsius, according to the met department office in Jaipur.

The national capital battled weather conditions in the "red category" as the maximum temperature recorded at the Palam observatory was 46.1C, according to the IMD. The Safdarjung observatory recorded a maximum of 43.5C.

The India Meteorological Department Friday issued the highest "red-colour" warning for the city.

The IMD said heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are very likely to prevail over Rajasthan, Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh during the next five days and over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi and south Uttar Pradesh during the next three.

A heat wave is usually declared when the maximum temperature remains above 45 degrees Celsius for two consecutive days.

Heatwave conditions intensified in Punjab and Haryana also, with Narnaul (Haryana) sizzling at 47.2 degrees Celsius. Hisar experienced blistering heatwave conditions at 45.6 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal, as per a meteorological department report.

The maximum temperatures were 3.1C-5.0C above normal at most places in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, New Delhi, Vidarbha and Marathwada and at a few places over Rayalaseema and Kerala.

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