It was 123.8 degrees in India yesterday

A woman tries to shield herself from the sun.
(Image credit: NARINDER NANU/AFP/Getty Images)

India sweltered under its hottest day ever on Thursday when temperatures in the city of Phalodi reached 123.8 degrees. The previous high of 123 degrees in 1956 was recorded in the same western state of Rajasthan.

India is currently bearing the brunt of a merciless heat wave, where areas in the region are experiencing temperatures as high as 116.6 daily. April, May, and June tend to be the nation's hottest months before monsoons cool the country later in the summer.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.