Nine deaths as torrential rains lash Nagpur, Vidarbha

New Delhi, July 18 (UNI) Nine people,including three women, were killed and five injured in the last 24 hours in house collapses and floods when torrential rains lashed Nagpur as well as the entire Vidarbha region while two boys died due to lightning in Uttar Pradesh.

The incessant rains, which started at about 1500 hrs yesterday and continued unabated throughout the night, wreaked havoc in Nagpur as the city's normal life and vehicular traffic came to a standstill after its low-lying areas were flooded.

The rains forced the civic authorities to sound a red alert for the people living on the banks of Pili and Nag rivers and other low-lying localties.

The fire brigade personnel pressed into service motor pumps to drain excess water out of the low-lying areas. However, no report on loss of life or any damage to the public property was reported.

According to sources in Meteorological department, the city received 155.1 mm rainfall in the last 15 hours. They predicted the downpour would continue for another two or three days.

In Uttar Pradesh, two boys died in Gorakhpur, when they were struck by lightning, taking the toll in rain-related incidents to 76 so far in the state.

Monsoon activity abated in most of Uttar Pradesh with the system shifting to northern regions of Madhya Pradesh. According to Central Water Commission (CWC), all prominent rivers in the state, including Ghagra, Gomti and Rapti, were rising along their course, but were still below the danger mark.

A dry spell continued in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh as monsoon turned weak in the area. However, rains were reported from parts of Himachal Pradesh today.

Hot and humid weather conditions persisted at most places in the plains following erratic monsoon in the region.

The national capital was lashed by heavy rains this morning, accompanied by squalls, bringing down the minimum temperature to below 28 degrees Celsius, from 29.5 degrees yesterday and the maximum temperature to 32.6 degrees today, from 34.6 degrees yesterday.

Weathermen said a total of 21 mm rainfall was recorded till 1130 hours.

The rainfall led to massive waterlogging in various parts of the capital, while severe traffic jams during the peak hours added to the citizes' woes. MCD officials said that 183 complaints of water-logging had been received from various areas.

Today's spell of heavy rains, which began at around 0700 hours, follows light rains in the capital last afternoon. The heavy showers come after almost a week of a lull in rainfall activity in Delhi after last Wednesday's heavy showers.

Heavy rains in Madhya Pradesh forced Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat to cancel his scheduled visit to Sagar to address the diamond jubilee function of the Dr Hari Singh Gaur University.

Heavy rains lashed Manipur during the last 24 hours, bringing the temperature down considerably. Met officials estimated the amount of rainfall at about 20 mm Several parts of West Bengal experienced heavy rainfall even as Kolkata witnessed occassional bouts of rains in the last two days.

The city woke up to a bright morning. However, as the day progressed, clouds gathered giving an impression of possible downpour.

The erratic monsoon was responsible for the spurt in humidity, which remained constant at 97 per cent for the past few days.

Heavy rains lashed several parts of North Orissa, while moderate rains occurred in Coastal and South Orissa during the last 24 hours.

Pantograph and Jashipur recorded the highest amount of rainfall (five cms), followed by Thakurmunda (three cms) and Akhuapada (two cms).

Met sources said the monsoon was no more active over Orissa as it had already crossed to Madhya Pradesh.

Heavy rains are likely to occur at most places in west Madhya Pradesh and at many places in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Vidarbha, Konkan and Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, coastal Karnataka and Kerala.

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