Heatwave Or Supply Malfunction? The Truth Behind Delhi's ‘Boiling Water Tank’ Video

A scorching heatwave is gripping northern and central India. Red alerts have been issued in numerous districts of India’s northwest, including Delhi, indicating a significant risk of heat-related illness and stroke. Amidst all of this, on May 29, 2024, the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Mungeshpur automated weather station in north Delhi reported an unbelievable temperature of 52.9°C. When the word spread on the internet, astonishing scenes surfaced from the region, including a boiling water tank.

The video, allegedly from Delhi, started making rounds on social media platforms. In the video, a full water tank that is leaking is shown to be spewing bubbles. The accompanying caption read, “Heat in Delhi is making water boil.”

It is vital to understand that water has a boiling point of 100 degrees Celsius. That indicates that even if the mercury hit 52 degrees Celsius, it couldn’t possibly boil the water.

According to Live Mint, the water supply pressure in the tank is thought to be the cause of the bubbles. Furthermore, the IMD subsequently confirmed that the reason Delhi’s Mungeshpur weather station reported a record high temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius on May 29 was due to “malfunctioning of the sensor.”

So, it is now proven that the heat did not cause the water in the tank to boil. However, when the video initially went viral online, a lot of viewers appeared shocked by the scene—possibly except Delhites, who don’t seem to be taken aback by anything associated with intense heat these days.

The video shared on X (formerly Twitter) had 822,200 views at the time of reporting.

A user noted, “For the very first time, we are seeing these extreme impacts of global warming and climate change. This is the right time to bring country-wide changes in terms of afforestation and the suggestions scientists suggest, or else we are doomed.”

Another user commented, “No way India got that much heat.”

Meanwhile, a third user shared, “No doubt why I almost fainted on the road that day.”

The majority of people, however, declined to endorse the misleading claim and pointed out that water does not boil at 52 degrees Celsius and that there may be other reasons for it.