Rain in Delhi, mild snow in HP brings sigh of relief

New Delhi, May 16 (UNI) Mercury plummeted in the national capital and Jammu and Kashmir after sudden burst of heavy rains, bringing much-needed respite from sweltering conditions even as parts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh experienced searing heat.

The rains and strong winds, blowing at a speed of 40 km per hour, hit Delhi at 1815 hours, bringing the mercury down by several degrees.

After pleasant weather for the last over a week, scorching heat conditions had returned to torment Delhiites since yesterday as the mercury shot up to 42.7 degree Celsius yesterday, the highest for the season.

Sudden rains lashed several parts of Jammu and Kashmir after the people had braved the hottest day of this season in the Valley yesterday with the maximum temperature recorded at 32.4 degrees, about ten degrees above normal.

Due to heavy rains, the maximum temperature across the Kashmir valley went down by almost ten degrees.

Maximum temperatures across Himachal Pradesh plummeted by two to ten degrees after mild snowfall in higher altitude areas and light to moderate widespread showers in lower areas of the state early today.

The temperature in Haryana dipped in the plains following rainfall at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh today.

The temperatures, after soaring yesterday, hovered one degree to three degrees below normal in Punjab and Haryana.

Hisar turned out to be the hottest place in Haryana, registering the maximum at 44.3 degrees while Ambala recorded 37.1 degrees, three degrees below normal, and Karnal 38.0 degrees, two degrees below normal.

In Punjab, the maximum plummeted at Amritsar, Patiala and Ludhiana respectively recording 38.0 degrees, 38.9 degrees and 38.6 degrees.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas in Punjab and Haryana were lashed by dusty winds in the morning, dipping the temperature and providing respite to the people from schorching heat.

Parts of Himachal Pradesh, including Bhuntar, Shimla, Sundernagar, Una, Kalpa, Bhang-Manali, Dhundi and Solang Nullah experienced rain bringing a sharp fall in the soaring temperatures.

The mercury hovered seven degrees below normal at Bhuntar in Kullu disrict, recording 23.8 degrees while Sundernagar in Mandi district registered 29.6 degrees and Kalpa in Kinnaur district showed 22.5 degrees. The capital town of Shimla, which was lashed by rain, recorded 24.8 degrees.

People in Chennai had no respite from the severe heat wave conditions, as the mercury continued to soar above 40 degree for the tenth day today in most parts of southern India including Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh with dry weather prevailing over Karnataka.

Reports from Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, said the death toll due to sun stroke had gone up to 12 in the district alone and thousand people were admitted to various hospitals in the district.

A 46-hour rainfall in Nagaland triggered landslides in many areas on National Highway 39.

In Manipur, the state government today warned of a cyclone and appealed to the people to remain alert.

The high altitude areas of tribal Lahaul, Spiti and Pangi valleys, Kunzam and Baralacha passes and the sprawling Dhauladhar Ranges experienced fresh mild snowfall early today.

Rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at a few places in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, West Bengal, Sikkim, Orissa, Uttaranchal, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

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

Dry weather will prevail over Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Gujrat State, Konkan, Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada, Telangana, Rayalseema and Karnataka.

Severe heat wave conditions prevailed at isolated places in coastal Andhra Pradesh. Heat wave conditions prevailed in some parts of Tamil Nadu, at isolated places in Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, north west Rajasthan and in remaining parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh.

UNI