Hottest June 9 in five years, no relief expected Tuesday

There was no respite from the blistering heat in the national capital Monday, as the maximum temperature settled six notches above the season's average at 45.5 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest June 9 in five years and also the hottest day of the season, officials said.

Tuesday's maximum temperature is likely to touch 46 degrees Celsius.

Roads and markets wore a deserted look as Delhiites preferred to remain indoors and traffic was scarce during the day.

Scarves and gloves came to the rescue of two-wheeler riders who had no choice but to venture out.

"Every day, the heat seems to be getting intense and is not bearable anymore. I have taken a week-long leave from work and heading to a hill station," said 30-year-old advertising professional Amar Luthra, who commutes on a motorbike.

Roadside kiosks selling lemonade, cold drinks, fruit juices and ice-creams did brisk business as motorists thronged them in a desperate attempt to beat the heat.

To make matters worse, the heat wave and high temperatures will continue till June 12 and Tuesday's maximum temperature is likely to touch 46 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

"The sky will remain clear through the day tomorrow (Tuesday) and the heat wave will continue till June 12," said an IMD official.

The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 46 degrees Celsius while the minimum will settle around 30 degrees Celsius.

Monday morning was hot and sunny and the minimum temperature settled two notches above the season's average at 30.1 degrees Celsius.

Sunday's maximum temperature settled five notches above the season's average at 45.1 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature settled a notch above the average at 28.6 degrees Celsius.

And if the unbearable heat wasn't enough, power cuts lasting for several hours and irregular water supply in many localities added to the woes of Delhiites.

Several Congress leaders held Delhi Chief Secretary S.K. Srivastava hostage for half-an-hour at the Delhi Secretariat over the crisis and the official was allowed to go only after he gave a written assurance promising to take remedial measures within a day but also noted that it will take close to 25 days to completely restore the power supply to normalcy.