Delhi is battling a heatwave. What happens to your body at 50C? | Tech News [Video]

Delhi is battling a deadly heatwave, with the temperature hitting 50.5C on Wednesday.

The record figure, taken in the suburb of Mungeshpur, came just a day after the previous record of 49.9C was set.

Authorities are warning of water shortages, while the India Meteorological Department (IMD) highlighted the severe dangers to health of such extreme heat.

It said there is a ‘very high likelihood of developing heat illness and heat stroke in all ages’, adding that extreme care was needed for vulnerable people, such as the elderly or those who are ill.

People exposed to heatwaves face increasingly severe illnesses.

The mildest are heat cramps.

There are two main mechanisms used by the body to keep cool. The first is vasodilation, where the small blood vessels, or capillaries, just beneath the skin widen. This exposes more blood to the surface, where heat can be released through radiation.

A second mechanism is through sweating, which draws …