3 die in lightning in UP; rains keep temperature normal in many parts

Rains or thundershowers kept mercury near normal levels in many parts of the country even as three members of a family died in lightning strikes in Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh.

Nagpur, Brahmapuri, and Chandrapur in Maharashtra recorded the highest temperature for the country at 45 degrees Celsius.

In the national capital, it was a hot day with a maximum at 41.5 degrees Celsius, a notch above the season’s average.  The minimum rose to settle at 31.6 degrees Celsius, five notches above normal.

The MeT has predicted rains accompanied by dust storm and thunderstorm towards tomorrow evening and night. In Uttar Pradesh, a man and his two minor sons died in the incident of lightning in Bhawarkol area in Ghazipur yesterday.

According to MeT department in the state, Salempur recorded 4 cm rainfall, followed by Gorakhpur (2 cm), and Ghoshi, Hata, Pratapgarh, and Varanasi (1 cm each).

Rain also occurred at most places over Chhattisgarh and Kerala; at many places over East Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Lakshadweep and other northeast states.

An IMD report said rains occurred at most places over Jharkhand. However, there was no rainfall in the capital city Ranchi, though the sky remained cloudy, and it recorded a maximum of 36.8 degrees Celsius.

At least eight places recorded maximum temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius in Odisha, where coastal regions faced sultry weather with high relative humidity and western regions hot weather conditions.

Balangir recorded a maximum of 43.2 degrees, followed by Bhawaniptna at 43. Capital city Bhubaneswar recorded a maximum of 38.8 degrees Celsius with a relative of humidity 95.

Punjab and Haryana braved hot weather, but common capital Chandigarh got relief by the evening as the city experienced dust storm followed by sharp spell of rain and hailstorm.

Haryana’s Hisar recorded 42 degrees Celsius. In Punjab, heat swept Ludhiana at 42.4 degrees, two notches above normal.

According to the MeT department in the state, thunderstorm accompanied by squall with wind speed exceeding 45 kmph is likely at isolated places in next 24 hours.

In Rajasthan, Churu was the hottest place at 42.8 degrees Celsius followed by Sriganganagar at 42.6. Kota, Bikaner, Jaipur and Barmer recorded maximum of 42.3, 41.5, 40.7 and 40.5 degree Celsius respectively. Light rains were observed at isolated places in Kota division.