NEW DELHI: India was bracing on Monday for another bout of extreme heat after temperatures smashed records in some parts of the country, while weather officials warned against more frequent heat waves.

Temperatures in parts of the western region breached 50 Celsius (122°F) last week, causing a spike in cases of people suffering dehydration and heatstroke, and triggering widespread power cuts as surging demand overwhelmed supply grids.

Television channels in Gujarat showed residents struggling to cross a street as their shoes became stuck in what appeared to be the melting surface of a road.

The number of heat waves had nearly doubled in the 10 years to 2010 from earlier decades, the meteorological office said. The number in the last six years had also risen from prior to the year 2000, but identifying clear trends requires more data.

In January, two U.S. government agencies said last year's global average temperature was the hottest ever by the widest margin on record.

A shepherd tries to control his buffalo in a pond on a hot summer day on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India May 18, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave