Tag: rain

Rain takes a 48-hour break in Jharkhand

Source: telegraphindia.com

Most parts of Jharkhand won’t have rain for the next 48 hours due to a weak monsoon trough, weathermen said on Thursday.

The axis of the monsoon trough at mean sea level was passing through Sri Ganganagar (Rajasthan), Narnaul (Haryana), northwest Madhya Pradesh and south Uttar Pradesh, stretching to Bankura (Bengal), Mizoram till Bangladesh.

Director of Ranchi Met Centre S.D. Kotal said rainfall had reduced due to the weakening of monsoon currents over Jharkhand. “The currents are expected to regain strength after the next 48 hours,” he said.

A bulletin issued by the Ranchi Met on Thursday afternoon indicated thunderstorm with lightning at a few places over Jharkhand on Sunday, August 18.

Met data revealed districts in northeastern parts including Pakur, Sahebganj, Godda and Deoghar had rain in the past 24 hours. Pakuria in Pakur recorded 85mm and Rajmahal in Sahebganj recorded 25mm. Pockets of Dhanbad and Bokaro districts and Jamshedpur recorded 10mm.

Against a normal of 676.1mm, Jharkhand has so far received 455.4 mm, a deficit of 33 per cent. Sahebganj is the only district with 11 per cent surplus. 

Rain subsides in Kerala; Relief & Rehabilitation intensifies in Assam and Bihar

Source: ddnews.gov.in

In Kerala, red alert for rain has been withdrawn from all the districts in the state. After a week of heavy downpour, intensity of rain has now reduced.

According to the met department, extremely heavy rainfall is not predicted anywhere in the state for the coming days, however isolated heavy rainfall is still predicted in some areas. 

Heavy rain is expected in Kannur and Kasargod. 

Four people have died so far in the state.

In Bihar too, significant improvement has been registered in flood situation. As rains stopped, rivers are also on receding trend. In Darbhanga, large areas are still submerged and which is hampering normal life. 

With fields and villages inundated, people are still using boats to move around. Administration has also put greater focus on relief and rehabilitation measures. People who had moved to safer places and highlands, have also started returning to their homes.

In Motihari and Madhubani, floods have left behind a long trail destruction. Large areas are still inundated while heavy losses to property have been reported. Those who had shifted to safer places are have a long road to restart. Administration is putting a greater focus on relief and rehabilitation.

In Muzaffarpur, camps are being set up to provide necessary assistance to flood affected. Those in need of medical care are also visiting the camps and are getting the required help.

In Assam, relief and rehabilitation measures are being intensified following the improvement in flood situation. t hough rivers are receding, flood water in parts of the state continues to affect normal life. In Bongaigaon, heavy rains in the past few days have severely affected roads which causing hardships to locals. In some areas, people are still using boats to move around. The assessment of damage caused to houses is currently on.

A free medical camp was organized by Joypur Army Camp, Dao Division, under Operation Sadbhavana, 2019 in Neul Goan and its adjoining villages. A large number of flood affected people and sick persons were treated and free medicines were distributed at the health camp. The health camp was conducted by three doctors, one from army and two from Jorhat Medical College & Hospital. Few villagers have return to their respective village after the condition has returned to near normalcy.

14 die in rain-related incidents in Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh

Source: indiatoday.in

Fourteen people, including a minor, were killed in rain-related incidents in Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, while the Assam floods claimed one more life on Thursday.

The northern parts of the country received light to heavy rains, with the MeT Department saying rainfall activity has increased over central India, Northern Plains and Western Himalayan region since Wednesday.

Uttar Pradesh received traces of rainfall and state capital Lucknow recorded a high of 31.1 degrees Celsius on Thursday. However, nine people died in rain-related incidents across the state in the past three days. Meerut received 100.6 mm of rainfall, followed by Bareilly, which recorded 50.0 mm of rainfall.

Due to heavy rains recorded in parts of Rajasthan, three people, including a 15-year-old boy, were swept away in water in Shekhawati region. Parts of the state received rainfall from 7 cm to 15 cm. Didwana of Nagaur recorded 15 cm rainfall, followed by 13 cm each in Sadulpur, Bassi, Sikar, 11 cm each in Bhuhana and Phagi, 10 cm each Chirawa, Neem Ka Thana.

Three more deaths due to lightning strikes were reported in Jharkhand, taking the

death toll in the state to 15. On Wednesday, 12 people were killed by lightning in four districts of the state – six in Jamtara and two each in Dumka, Pakur and Ramgarh.

With the death of one more person, the toll in Assam floods reached 75 on Thursday as more than 34 lakh people remain affected by the deluge in 18 districts of the state, officials said.

Due to the release of excess water from the Kuricchu Hydropower reservoirs in Kuricchu River in Bhutan, western Assam districts of Barpeta, Nalbari, Baksa, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Dhubri and South Salmara are facing rise in flood water level. However, water level receded in some other districts of the state on Thursday.

In Bihar, no fresh deaths were reported as flood water entered state’s West Champaran, taking the total number of flood-hit districts in the state to 13. The death toll remained unchanged at 123. The state Disaster Management Department said relief and rehabilitation work was in full swing as 82.12 lakh people are affected by the deluge in 13 districts.

Light to heavy rains lashed most parts of Himachal Pradesh, dropping the maximum temperatures by several notches below normal limits on Thursday, the Meteorological (MeT) Department said.

In Punjab and Haryana, light to moderate rains lashed most places, plummeting the maximum temperatures between two to seven notches below normal in the region.

Narnaul received 54 mm of rainfall, followed by 16 mm in Amritsar, 14 mm in Ludhiana, 12.4 mm in Chandigarh, four mm in Ambala, two mm in Patiala and 0.5 mm in Hisar, it said here.

There was some respite for people from hot and humid weather in Kashmir as

heavy rainfall in lashed most parts of the Valley, even as the downpour affected normal life in Srinagar leading to waterlogging in many city roads.

The Mughal Road and the Doda-Kishtwar highway were closed for traffic due to landslides triggered by heavy rains in Jammu region.

However, in Delhi, vast stretches of the city remained dry, in a departure from the weather department’s forecast of ‘very heavy’ rains in the national capital. On Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department had issued a red alert warning for Delhi.

IMD officials said the weather stations at Palam, Lodhi Road, Ridge and Ayanagar recorded traces of rainfall. The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides official figures for the city, recorded nil precipitation.

Several parts of Odisha were lashed by rains due to a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal, giving much needed relief to the farmers hit by deficit rainfall.

Monsoon toll rises across South Asia

Source: gulfnews.com

New Delhi: More than eight people were killed when a house collapsed in northern India following heavy monsoon rain which has left more than 85 dead across South Asia, officials said Monday.

Floods and landslides caused by torrential downpours have killed at least 67 people across Nepal while 30 more are missing, police said.

In overcrowded Rohingya refugee camps in southeast Bangladesh, 10 people have died and thousands of shanty homes have been destroyed since April.

In the latest monsoon-related tragedy, a four-storey building on a hillside in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh collapsed, killing 13 people.

The structure – located near popular tourist destination Shimla – came down on Sunday following days of heavy downpours.

Rescue workers searched the rubble for survivors, while heavy machinery removed heaps of mangled steel and wires from the muddied debris.

Earlier, local official K.C. Chaman said eight people had died in the collapse, adding that rescuers were looking “for at least seven other people” trapped in the debris.

One soldier – who was pulled out alive from the rubble – said they had gathered for a party in the building’s restaurant, “but suddenly the building shook and collapsed”.

Such incidents are common across the region during the monsoon because of dilapidated structures that buckle under the weight of continuous rain.

The June to September monsoon causes widespread death and destruction across South Asia each year.

Floods have devastated much of the northeastern Indian state of Assam where four people died on Sunday after being swept away by sudden torrents.

The state’s Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO-recognised reserve and home to two-thirds of the world’s one-horned rhinos, has also been seriously affected by the weather.

In the eastern state of Bihar, five rivers were flowing over the danger levels with more rain forecast over the next few days.

The downpours have eased in Nepal but authorities still fear the death toll could rise, said police spokesman Bishwaraj Pokharel, who gave the latest number of dead and missing from floods and landslides.

“There are the challenges of resettlement of the displaced as many houses.. have been swept away. We are also cautious about the risk of epidemics due to polluted water,” Pokharel told AFP.

Weather plays truant in Bihar: Rain or shine it’s Sec 144 Weather plays truant in Bihar: Rain or shine it’s Sec 144

Source: indiatoday.in

t was only one month ago that the administration was forced to impose Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in many parts of Bihar including Gaya, Begusarai and Darbhanga. The reason, as you may think, was not violence or a security threat. The restriction was imposed due to the heatwave. Now a month later, the administration has imposed Section 144 again – this time in Motihari, due to heavy rains.

The prohibitory orders were imposed on Friday. The administration has also asked all the schools to remain shut for two days. This is the first time that Section 144 has been imposed because of rain.

Earlier in June, Section 144 was imposed in six districts of the state — Gaya, Begusarai, Darbhanga, Gopalganj, Madhubani and Sitamarhi. People were ordered not to step out of their houses between 11 am to 4 pm. The severe heatwave had claimed over 100 lives in Bihar in one month.

Monsoon has hit several states and India received 28 per cent more rainfall than the 50-year average in the week to July 10, data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) showed. Parts of northern and eastern India received heavy showers, while in the northeastern state of Assam three persons were killed in rain and flood-related incidents and over 2 lakh people across 11 districts have been affected by the deluge.

Incessant rainfall for the past five days has triggered flash floods and landslides in several places in Meghalaya, causing damage to infrastructure and crippling normal life. Heavy rains had also slowed down Mumbai city.

Meanwhile, New Delhi had overcast conditions and the weather department has predicted only very light rains during the next two to three days.

The India Meteorological Department has said the states such as Uttarakhand, East Uttar Pradesh, Bihar are likely to witness heavy rainfall on Friday.

First spell of rain exposes Patna’s drainage system

Source: hindustantimes.com

The ongoing construction work across Patna for flyovers, roads, drains and laying of underground pipes, filled the capital city’s roads with wet debris, as monsoon rains hit the city in the last 24 hours. The residents’ miseries are expected to continue, as the meteorological department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall across Bihar, in the next five days.

All major roads in low lying areas were overflown with rainwater, as commuting became a hazardous and daunting task, especially for pedestrians and those driving two-wheelers. The roads leading to Mithapur bus stand, Ashok Rajpath, Patna Medical College and Hospital, Jaganpura, Beerchand Patel road, Sabzibagh and Kankarbagh were chock-a-block for most of the day as vehicles moved at a snail’s pace, wading through the waterlogged roads, due to the incessant rain.

Rainwater also seeped into several residential colonies, commercial buildings and hospitals. The medicine department of the Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) was flooded with the rainwater throughout the day.

By evening, authorities claimed that the hospital was cleared of water, but not before several patients were shifted to safer locations, including the ICU surgery ward.

“This lane is already congested and perennially choked with traffic jam. The construction work has made it accident prone. Every now and then, two-wheelers get stuck and fall, especially during night,” said Pratik Gupta, a general store owner near PMCH.

The Mithapur bus stand wore a deplorable look, as the rains left ankle deep sludge, making it extremely difficult for passengers to board and de-board buses.

A similar situation prevailed in Kankerbag, another low lying area in Patna, where people were seen wading through waterlogged roads.

Patna Municipal Corporation, however, claimed that waterlogging was much lesser this year, compared to previous years. “PMC has carried out advance preparations to deal with monsoon and had arranged for bobcat, super sucker and de-watering machines. The corporation has also prepared a list of areas, including government and public places, which are more prone to waterlogging. Open drains are being repaired and maintained. Portable diesel pump sets and super sucker devices would work in waterlogged areas,” said a PMC official.

“There are 38 drainage pumping stations in Patna district. Assistant engineers are being deployed at each pumping station. 12 mobile squads are also being deployed, who will work at an interval of 24 hours. The water level of the pumping station is continuously monitored and open drainage is cleaned for free flowing of water,” the PMC official added.

HEAVY RAINS TO LASH PARTS OF BIHAR, FLOOD LIKE SITUATION FEARED

Source: skymetweather.com

The eastern districts of Bihar have been observing on and off rain and thundershower activities for quite some time now. During the last 24 hours, Bhagalpur and its adjoining areas have received light to moderate rain and thundershowers.

According to Skymet Weather, the intensity of rains will increase over Bihar during the next few days. Neighbouring Jharkhand would also observe intense showers now. Light rain will be witnessed in both the states for the next 48 hours. Thereafter, the intensity of rain will increase significantly. These rains would be a result of the Cyclonic Circulation over Bihar and its adjoining areas. A well-marked Low-Pressure Area is already present over Northeast Madhya Pradesh and adjoining Southeast Uttar Pradesh, which is instrumental in giving occasional light rain in the region for the last two days.

Easterly/southeasterly winds from the Bay of Bengal will impact both the states during the upcoming rainy spell. Moreover, we expect the intensity of rain to remain high in Bihar than Jharkhand. Bihar is likely to observe light to moderate rains with a few heavy spells, while light to moderate showers with isolated heavy spells would be a sight in parts of Jharkhand.

During this spell, good rains are also expected in adjoining Nepal. This raises fear of rivers flooding in Nepal and large amounts of water flowing into Bihar and its rivers, resulting in flood like situation in the state. However, we do not expect any serious flooding to take place, but due precautions must be taken.

This spell of rain is likely to continue until July 9, with rains peaking on July 7. This could turn out to be the rainiest spell of Monsoon Rain so far. It will definitely be helpful in reducing rainfall deficiency in the state to a great extent. These showers will also be highly beneficial for crops and in soil moisture restoration.

22 killed in rain-related incidents in Maha, Jharkhand; dry spell continues in North India

Source: business-standard.com

Twenty-two people were killed and seven injured in Maharashtra and Jharkhand in rain-related incidents, even as the dry spell continued in most parts of north India which was reeling under sweltering heat.

At least 15 people, including four children, were killed and two injured in Pune when a portion of the 22-ft high compound wall of a housing society collapsed on adjoining shanties following incessant rains, trapping the sleeping families under the debris, officials said.

The incident took place between 1:30 am and 1:45 am at Kondhwa and the victims were labourers and their family members, a majority of them from Bihar, who were living in makeshift shelters at the under-construction residential project where deep excavation work was underway.

Heavy monsoon rains continued to lash Mumbai and its neighbouring areas for the second consecutive day on Saturday and at least five persons were injured in rain-related incidents, officials said.

The suburban local trains, called the lifeline of Mumbai, remained largely unaffected and were running as per their schedule. However, in view of IMD’s heavy rainfall forecast, the Central Railway (CR) cancelled some express or passenger trains, especially those between Mumbai and Pune.

According to the officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), 39 incidents of short circuit, 104 incidents of uprooting of trees or falling of tree branches were reported from various parts of the city.

In Maharashtra’s Thane district, two people died of electrocution in separate incidents caused by incessant rains on late Friday night. While the first incident occurred in Thane city, the other one occurred in Ambarnath.

Two people died on Saturday after being struck by lightning in separate incidents in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district, police said.

While Shrikrishna Dhabal (69) was struck by a lightning bolt while working in his field in Sangrampur taluka, farm labourer Yuvraj Gavande (35) died in a similar manner in Jastgaon villege, they said.

Three people, including two teenagers, died in lightning strikes in Jharkhan’s Gumla district during heavy rains on Friday evening.

In the national capital, mercury settled five notches above normal on Sunday. The minimum temperature was recorded at 30 degrees Celsius, two notches above normal, while the maximum temperature settled at 42.3 degree, five notches above normal.

Parts of south Gujarat received extremely heavy rainfall Saturday, with the IMD stating that districts in the south and central parts of the state were likely to receive heavy rainfall over the next two days with upper cyclonic circulation formed over the region.

The IMD warned of heavy rains in Valsad, Navsari, Dangs, Surat, Narmada, Chhota Udepur and Vadodara districts over the next two days, adding that upper cyclonic circulation had formed over the south Gujarat region.

Valsad received 130 millimetres rainfall in a 24-hour period till Saturday morning, while Bhavnagar and Vadodara got 52.8 and 34 mm rainfall respectively, IMD data showed.

Heatwave continued to sweep the Jammu region as mercury touched 43.1 degrees Celsius, four degrees above average. Summer capital Srinagar, on the other hand, continued to experience pleasant weather with a high of 29.6 degrees Celsius, up by over two notches but below the season’s average.

In Punjab and Haryana, rains remained elusive even as the maximum temperatures were recorded to be between two to five notches above normal. Bhiwani and Narnaul were the hottest place in the twin states with mercury settling at a high of 42.8 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal.

While Amritsar braved a high of 42.4 degrees celsius, five notches above normal, the maximum temperature at Ambala was 41.8 degrees Celsius, also five notches above normal.

Moderate rain and thunderstorm were witnessed at isolated places in Eastern Uttar Pradesh even Banda was recorded as the hottest place in the state, recording a temperature of 44.8 degrees Celsius, which is eight degrees above normal.

Heatwave also swept some parts of the state and Allahabad sizzled at 44 degrees Celsius.

According to the IMD, rain and thundershowers were observed at many places over Assam, Meghalaya, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, North Interior Karnataka and at most places over Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh and Goa.

Extremely heavy rainfall was observed at a few places over Konkan and Goa and Gujarat region, it said.

The Meteorological Department has issued a fresh yellow weather warning for thunderstorm in Himachal Pradesh for July 3. It has forecast thunderstorms accompanied with hailstorm and gusty winds in several parts of middle hills of the state on July 3.

The weather office issues colour-coded warnings to alert people ahead of severe or hazardous weather that has the potential to cause “damage, widespread disruption or danger to life”. Yellow is the least dangerous of all the weather warnings. It indicates the possibility of severe weather over the next few days.

The Odisha government Saturday put all 30 districts in the state on alert in view of the IMD forecasting enhanced heavy rainfall over the next three days. The step was taken after the IMD indicated formation of a low pressure area in north Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood, which is likely to intensify into a depression during the subsequent 48 hours.

“Under its influence, enhanced rainfall activity is very likely over the districts of Odisha,” said H R Biswas, the director of the IMD, Bhubaneswar.


Monsoon weakens over Jharkhand, rain deficit at 60% so far

Source: hindustantimes.com

Erratic monsoon has again worried Jharkhand farmers, who are yet to come out of last year’s drought pain. The rain deficit in the state has reached 60% in June, a crucial month for raising nursery for paddy crops and direct seed sowing of other crops such as maize and pulses.

The farmers could not start activities of nursery raising and direct seed sowing due to deficient rainfall in June, agricultural scientists of Birsa Agricultural University (BAU), Ranchi, said.

The monsoon hit the state on June 21 has slowed down in last four days causing more rainfall deficit.

According to Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) centre in Ranchi, the state received merely 63.4mm rainfall against the normal rainfall of 156.7mm from June 1 to June 26.

The deficient rainfall condition is likely to prevail for next 48 hours.

“The monsoon has weakened over Jharkhand in absence of any strong system. This is a normal characteristic of the season. However, we are expecting a spell of good rainfall from June 29,” said SD Kotal, director IMD centre, Ranchi.

He said a low pressure was expected to develop over the Bay of Bengal by June 30, impact of which would be visible from June 29.

“We are hoping the upcoming spell would fill the gap of rainfall deficit to a great extent,” he said.

Seedling process in Jharkhand has already delayed by 16 days. Senior agro-meteorologist of Birsa Agricultural University (BAU), Ranchi, A Wadud said this was the peak time for nursery raising for paddy crops and direct seed sowing of other crops including maize and pulses.

The two major activities generally conclude in the state by the end of the June last.

“However, farmers are yet to take up the activities due to the lack of sufficient rains. If rainfall remains elusive for next one week, it will have an impact in overall kharif production, as sapling transplantation to paddy field would not take place by first week of July,” Wadud said.

Even as the parts of Jharkhand, including Ranchi, received brief rainfall on Wednesday, farmers said it was not enough to start for nursery raising or direct sowing of the seeds.

Hari Munda, a Ranchi’s Mandar based farmer, said, “I could not start seedling due to the lack of rainfall. A seed takes at least 20 days to grow as sapling. If we could not start the process by June 30, it would certainly have an impact on the overall production.”

Jitendra Kumar, Ormanjhi based farmer, said, “Next 10 days of the June are crucial for nursery raising, as farmers begin transplanting of saplings to farm field from July 1.”

He said “A heavy rainfall will be enough for nursery raising. Sadly, there is no significant rainfall till date.”

Notably, the state has been the victim of erratic monsoon rainfall for last few years. In 2018, the state faced 28% rainfall deficit, causing drought in half of the Jharkhand’s blocks. The state government in November last year had declared 129 blocks as drought. At least 91 blocks were declared severely affected.

The government recently released Rs 346 crore drought relief package to farmers of 129 blocks. Jharkhand has around 39 lakh hectare arable land, of which about 27 lakh hectares land is used for Kharift crops. About 18 lakh hectares area is used for paddy, three lakh hectares for maize, six lakh hectares area for pulses and 60,000 hectares for oils seeds.

Weather across India: Bihar heatwave claims 61 lives, rain brings respite for Northern states | 12 points

Source: indiatoday.in

The weather in India has been difficult for the population of the country with the heatwaves dominating the weather for the past few weeks. According to reports, there have been 32 heatwaves this year in India, the second-longest spell of high temperatures in the country’s recorded history. The heatwave conditions prevailing in most parts of the country has claimed at least 44 lives in Bihar in a day, even as rain brought down the mercury in some western and northern states on Sunday.

Here are the weather conditions in various states

1. Rain and thunderstorm has been predicted on Monday in Uttar Pradesh, where sweltering heat continued unabated with Allahabad in the eastern part being the hottest at 45.3 degree Celsius, six notches above the normal. Sultanpur, Varanasi and Basti in the state recorded 45 degrees Celsius, 44.2 degrees Celsius and 44 degrees Celsius respectively.

2. Blistering heatwave condition continued unabated in Bihar, where at least 61 people died on Saturday. The state government has ordered closure of schools till June 19. According to officials, 22 people died in Aurangabad, 20 in Gaya and two in Nawada districts due to the heatwave. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has expressed grief over the deaths and announced an ex gratia of Rs four lakh for the next of kin of the victims.

3. In Delhi, traces of rain and strong wind reduced the daytime temperature which settled at 36.3 degrees Celsius, three notches below the normal. The weatherman has predicted overcast conditions and thunderstorm accompanied with light rains on Monday.

4. Parts of Rajasthan witnessed rain since Saturday, bringing respite from the sweltering conditions. The state capital recorded 9.2 mm of rains on Sunday, the meteorological department said. Bhim in Rajsamand gauged 7 cm of rains followed by 4 cm in Tibi of Hanumangarh and 3 cm each in Chirawa, Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Sangaria since Saturday.

5. Similarly, rainfall in Ahmedabad and rest of Gujarat brought respite from the scorching heat. The maximum temperature in Ahmedabad hovered around 37 degree Celsius, the IMD said. North Gujarat and Saurashtra-Kutch regions are likely to receive heavy rain on Monday under the influence of Cyclone Vayu, the MeT department said. On Sunday morning, the cyclone remained centred about 470 km west-southwest of Porbandar, 440 km southwest of Dwarka and 545 km southwest of Bhuj, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin.

Monsoon is expected to advance further up north as Cyclone Vayu loses intensity paving the way for the wind system to move towards the Arabian Sea, the weatherman said Sunday.

6. By now, monsoon should have reached the central India, including parts of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, but it is yet to reach Maharashtra. It still remains over Mangalore, Mysore, Cuddalore over the southern peninsula and Passighat, Agartala in the northeast, according to the India Meteorological Department.

7. The western coast – from Maharashtra to Gujarat – has been receiving rainfall due to the cyclone. Only coastal Karnataka and Kerala have received rains due to monsoon.

8. Monsoon is likely to set in in Telangana around June 20 and in Andhra Pradesh by June 18, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

9. The public in Tamil Nadu has been advised not to expose themselves to direct sunlight between 11.00 am and 4.00 pm to avoid sunstroke, a Regional Meteorological Centre has said. Chennai and its neighbouring areas and several other northern districts in Tamil Nadu have been reeling under heatwave-like conditions for the past several days with the mercury hovering over 41 degree Celsius.

10. This year’s heatwave has not even spared the Himalayan state of Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu recorded a maximum temperature of 39.6 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the weatherman said.

11. The weather remained mainly dry in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday even as the maximum temperature fell by 3 to 4 degrees from normal, Shimla MeT Centre director Manmohan Singh said.

12. Some states experienced pleasant conditions with little to moderate rain. Sirsa, Fatehabad, Mahendergarh in Haryana and Amritsar, Gurdaspur and a few other areas in Punjab received welcome showers.

According to meteorological department forecast, light to moderate rain is likely at a few places on June 16, 17 and 18 in Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh. Meanwhile, four people, including two brothers, were killed in separate incidents of lightning strike during rain and thunderstorm in northern part of Chhattisgarh on Saturday, police said.