Five die of heat stroke in Punjab

Chandigarh, June 12 (UNI) Five people died of heat stroke even as the temperatures markedly dipped at most places in the northwest region following rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and some parts of Punjab overnight.

Three people succumbed to intense heat at Hamida village in Sangrur district and two in Barnala city of Punjab, a report from Sangrur said. The deceased were identified as Mohan Dass (70), Inder Singh (75) and Dalip Kaur (80), all from Hamida village, and Gurdarshan Singh (65) and Sukhwinder Singh, Sewadar in Tehsil Complex at Barnala.

With these deaths, the toll due to the heat wave rose to 24 in Punjab and Haryana this Summer.

Except Hissar and Amritsar where the temperatures stayed above normal, the mercury dropped three degrees to seven degrees below normal in Haryana and Punjab, Heat wave conditions have abated from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh but prevailed in western parts of Haryana, according to the Weather Office here.

Schorching heat wave lashed Hissar with the mercury settling at 44.8 degrees celsius, four degrees above normal, turning it the hottest place in Haryana. However, the maximum temperature dipped to 34.4 degrees, six degrees below normal at Ambala, and to 33.4 degrees, seven degrees down, at Karnal.

In Punjab, the mercury fell by three degrees to five degrees celsius following rain at some places, including Nangal Dam and Dera Bassi.

Ludhiana recorded 37.6 degrees, three degrees below normal, against 40.8 degrees registered yesterday. Patiala, too, recorded a fall in the mercury to 35.6 degrees, five degrees below normal, from 40.6 degrees.

However, Amritsar was the hottest place in the state with the temperature settling at 42.0 degrees celsius, two degrees above normal.

The temperatures also dropped in Himachal Pradesh where rain lashed many areas, including, Dharamsala, Kangra, Sujanput Tira, Guler, Nagrota Surian, Hamirpur, Mandi, Sundernagar and Shimla, providing much needed relief to people from the hot dry weather conditions prevailing in the state.

The capital town of Shimla reported 24.0 degrees celsius while Kalpa showed 25.2 degrees.

The mercury hovered four degrees below normal in Chandigarh and its adjoining areas following high speed winds and rain for a brief period overnight. The city recorded 36.2 degrees against 38.4 degrees registered yesterday.

The weather office has predicted moderate to rather heavy rain or thundershowers, accompanied with isolated thundersquall, at many places in Himachal Pradesh and duststorm or thunderstorm with light to moderate rain at few places in Haryana and Punjab during the next 24 hours.

UNI