Three deaths in MP due to heat wave: North India sweats

New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) An unidentified middle-aged man has died because of sun stroke at Pati area in Madhya Pradesh, police said today as heat wave conditions continued to grip several parts of the country with Chennai, Churu, and Kashmir Valley recording their highest temperatures of this season.

The man, who was about 50-years-old, had set out on 'parikrama (circumambulating)' of the Narmada river. He died beneath a tree on May 12.

After the Sarpanch informed police about the matter, a case was registered.

Police said the man died because of sun stroke.

Earlier, two people had died in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh because of sun stroke.

The Kashmir valley remained hot today as the mercury shot up ten degrees above normal to record its season's highest temperature at 32.4 degrees Celsius.

Pahalgam and other hill resorts in Kashmir also witnessed rising temperatures. In Pahalgam, the maximum temperature stood at 27.4 degrees Celsius while the minimum was recorded at 9.8 degrees.

In North-west India, Hisar recorded 44.9 degrees, making it the hottest place in Haryana.

Ludhiana remained the hottest place in Punjab with the maximum temperature rising to 42.4 degrees, two degrees above normal.

The temperature also hovered above normal by two degrees at Patiala and three degrees at Amritsar respectively, recording 41.9 degrees and 40.8 degrees. Ambala and Karnal recorded 40.2 degrees and 41.0 degrees, two degrees above normal.

After pleasant weather last week, Delhiites were left sweating under hot and sultry conditions as the maximum temperature shot up from 38.5 degrees yesterday to 42.7 degrees, two degrees above normal.

Churu in northern Rajasthan sizzled at 45 degrees .

Except for mild showers in Bharatpur and Dholpur districts, the rising mercury in the rest of Rajasthan was making the heat unbearable for people.

People in Bihar felt a marginal relief from the scorching heat as the maximum temperature in most parts of the state witnessed a downward trend. This drop in temperature is expected to continue for the next 24 hours.

Chennai city recorded the highest temperature of the season with the mercury touching 43 degrees Celsius in Nugambakkam today. The city is likely to remain in the grip of intense heatwave conditions for a few more days.

Heavy rainfall in Manipur brought a slight decline in temperature admist reports of a cyclonic formation over the Bay of Bengal.

Met sources informed that the cyclone, at the speed of 65-70 kms per hour, could hit the North East states, Bangladesh, West Bengal and Andaman&Nicobar Islands.

Meteorology officials in New Delhi had also informed the state government to be alert as there was high possibility of a cyclone hitting the state.

Rain or thundershowers occurred at most places in Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, at few places in Arunachal Pradesh and Orissa.

Isolated rains occurred over North Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana while the weather remained mainly dry over Rayalaseema.

The Met department has forecast heavy rains or thundershowers at most places in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.

Rains or thundershowers are likely to occur at most places in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, at many places in Gangetic West Bengal, at a few places in Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and Orissa.

They are also likely to occur at isolated places in Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

UNI