Heat wave kills 11; monsoon 3-4 days from UP

Lucknow, June 11: Even as 11 persons died of heat stroke in Uttar Pradesh in the last 24 hrs, the monsoons are expected to hit the parched tracts of the state within the next three to four days.

Powered by currents from the Bay of Bengal, the monsoons are expected to hit the eastern parts of UP within the next three to four days, giving respite from the wilting heat wave conditions prevailing over the last fortnight in the northern belt.

However, the mercury had dropped considerably since yesterday following sporadic pre-monsoon showers in parts of UP.

According to reports, three persons died due to heat wave at Agra, while two each died at Kaushambi and Mahoba. Lucknow, Unnao, Ferozabad and Etah disticts accounted for one casualty each.

State Meteorological Centre Director K P Kulshrestha told UNI, that the monsoons had already reached Purnea in Bihar.

The temperatures are expected to fall further in the next 24 hrs.

''In the next two days, the monsoons are expected to cover the whole of Bihar and Jharkhand, before toucing UP,'' he added.

Southern and western regions of UP comprising Jhansi and Agra divisions and sporadic places in 'Purvanchal' had already experienced pre-monsoon showers since yesterday.

The monsoons would hit Lucknow, which had been posting record temperatures this summer, by June 18, Dr Kulshrestha informed. The weather turned pleasant in the state capital last night.

Meanwhile, the Arabian Sea current was also gaining momentum and was likely to hit the western parts of UP in due course.

''The Bay of Bengal current is more active than the one from Arabian Sea at present,'' the met director claimed.

In the last 24 hrs, Gorakhpur, Bareilly, Varanasi and Faizabad have received light to moderate showers. Varanasi was the wettest recording three cms of rainfall. Day temperatures plunged slightly in Lucknow, Allahabad, Bareilly, Faizabad, Varanasi and Gorakhpur divisions. However, the mercury soared above normal in Banda, Agra and Jhansi divisions.

Banda was the hottest at 45.5 degrees, three notches above normal while, Allahabad wilted at 40.9 degrees.

The Lucknowites got a slight respite with the state capital recording 38.4 degrees (-4). The weather remained mainly dry in other divisions.

Since the advent of June, UPites had been reeling under a sweltering heat wave, which made the life of the people miserable, especially due to power and water crises in several places.

Meanwhile, the weatherman have forecast rain/thundershowers in the next 24 hrs in Moradabad, Bareilly, Meerut, Lucknow, Faizabad and Gorakhpur divisions.

UNI