Monsoon marches on, claims four lives

New Delhi, July 1 (UNI) Monsoon rains covering most states of the country today claimed the lives of two people in Kerala and two in Indore.

Mumbai and it's adjoining areas was lashed by incessant rains since yesterday and the met office has that it will persist in the next 24 hours. Konkan, Central Maharashtra and Goa regions will also experience heavy showers.

As most parts of Kerala received substantial rainfall two more persons died in rain-related incidents in Kozhikode and Kunnur taking the toll so far in the state to 84.

Indore received 6 inches of rain in the last 12 hours and two persons were carried away by flood waters while nearly four thousand affected people were evacuated and given shelter in schools.

A minor landslide was experienced at Vinangad near Vadakara In Kerala and it had caused damage to agricultural land. Eight families had been affected and four families had been shifted to safer places.

A well marked low pressure which persisted over north Bay of Bengal have brought hopes of good rains to Andhra Pradesh.

Several parts of Uttar Pradesh were lashed by showers, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan continued receiving downpour while Punjab, Chandigarh and Haryana remained relatively dry.

The capital is still waiting for it's first monsoon showers with the people suffering under humidity level of 86 per cent and temperature of 37.8 degrees Celsius.

A fresh upper air cyclonic circulation lay over central Pakistan and adjoining north-west Rajasthan and neighbourhood and extends upto 900 metres above sea level, according to the Weather Office here.

In Kerala since the Monsoon rains hit the State, about 114 houses were completely destroyed and more than 18,000 houses had been damaged. The crop loss in 93.62 hectare was estimated at Rs 38.84 crore.

The Weather office said that the South West monsoon is active in Orissa, Konkan, Goa&Madhya Mah Pune, Heavy to very heavy rains are likely to occur at most places in Orissa and Konkan and Goa. Heavy rains are likely to occur at most places in coastal Andhra Pradesh, coastal Karnataka, Kerala and many places in Gujarat and Madhya Maharashtra.

UNI Team ARB VV2009