Girl killed in wall collapse in Amritsar

Chandigarh, May 23 (UNI) A 15-year old girl was killed in wall collapse in Amritsar today as moderate rain lashed most parts of north-west India last night.

The girl was killed when the wall of a house crashed at Gurnam Nagar in Sultanwind area of Amritsar following rain. Walls of two other houses collapsed at Mirakot village in Amritsar district, a report from Amritsar said.

A severe duststorm, accompanied by rain, swept Amritsar and its adjoining areas in Punjab last night, blowing off hoardings and tilting sign boards.

The mercury stayed upto six degrees celsius below normal at various places in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh Union Territory following rain.

Yesterday's western disturbance over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Jammu and Kashmir has moved across western Himalayas. The western disturbance over north Pakistan and its neighbouring areas persisted as upper air cyclonic circulation extends upto 4.5 km above sea level, according to the weather Office here.

The Induced upper air cyclonic circulation over northeast Haryana and neighbourhood now lay over west Uttar Pradesh and adjoining south Haryana and east Rajasthan and extends upto 1.5 km above sea level.

Light to moderate rain or thundershowers have been predicted at many places in Himachal Pradesh and few places in Punjab and Haryana during the next 24 hours.

In Punjab, the temperature hovered three degrees below normal at Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala. In Haryana, Hissar and Karnal reported five degrees below normal temperature and Ambala six degrees down.

The mercury dipped to 36.2 degrees celsius at Amritsar which recorded 5.4 mm rain till this morning. The temperature stayed at 37.8 degrees at Ludhiana and Patiala and both towns reported trace rainfall. Balachour and Nangal Dam areas also reported rain. Ambala registered 35.4 degrees temperature and 10.1 mm rain till 0830 hours while Hissar with 36.8 degrees celsius measured 5.9 mm rain till 0830 hours. Kalka, Panchkula and Rohtak also had rainfall.

Widespread rain lashed Himachal Pradesh last night. Shimla recorded 10.8 mm rain till this morning. Suni, Sujanpur Tira, Solan, Guler, Naudan, Gamroor and Kalpa also had rainfall.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas also experienced rain last night. The city recorded 15.8 mm rain till this morning and the maximum temperature was 35.0 degrees celsius.

UNI VKJ YA DB1858