10 women die in Bihar lightninig, rains in most parts of country

New Delhi, July 26 (UNI) At least 10 women were charred to death and five received serious burn injuries in Bihar due to lightning in the last 24 hours as rains lashed many parts of the country, including the capital.

A report quoting Banka district's Superintendent of Police Syed Haidar Ali Rizvi said seven women were killed at Laxmipur village under Banka police station while three others sustained injuries in the lightning.

Another report received from Aurangabad said that three women died and two others sustained injuries at Jajapur village under Goh police station.

Widespread rain lashed many areas in Punjab and Haryana, with Chandigarh the wettest place in the region.

According to Disaster Management sources in Uttaranchal, a heavy flood due to the cloudburst washed away 17 cattle, eight houses and six shops at Gurgu village 27 km from Rudraprayag District Collectorate.

Heavy rains lashed several parts of Uttar Pradesh.

The Capital witnessed light rains since this morning, which maintained the coolness in the weather which had been brought about by a brief burst of heavy rains last afternoon.

Heavy intermittent rains pounded Chandigarh and its adjoining areas since last night, lowering the temperature. The city recorded 142.0 mm rainfall till 0830 hours.

Light to moderate rains lashed almost all mid and lower hills of Himachal Pradesh with monsoon remaining strong in the state, the met office said.

The Met office in the region predicted moderate to heavy rain in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh during the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Government refuted reports of the Yamuna having crossed the danger level following the showers in the capital yesterday and today and said there was a remote possibility of the river level crossing the danger mark.

Sources in the Delhi Government's flood department said the Yamuna today stood at a level of 202.97 m, which is two metre below the danger mark of 204.83.

In Uttar Pradesh, rain/thundershowers occured at many places including Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Lucknow and Bareilly divisions, the weatherman said here.

Central Water Commission (CWC) said all prominent rivers including Ganga, Yamuna, Ken, Gomti, Sharda, Rapti and Gandak were decreasing.

However, Ghagra is flowing just 10 cm below the red mark.

There would be rains in few places over North Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, while, the South would witness isolated rainfall, during the same period, the weather office in Chennai said.

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