Lightning kills 20, depressions to bring rains in several parts

New Delhi, June 21 (UNI) Twenty people, including two children, were killed by lightning at different places in Vidarbha and Marathwada region of Maharashtra and Udaipur district in Rajasthan today.

The government of Jharkhand decided to urge Centre to enlist the phenomenon of lightning in the natural calamity category.

Depressions being formed over Bay of Bengal are scheduled to bring rains in several parts of the country.

Low pressure area lying over east-central and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal is likely to cause heavy rains in Vidarbha during the next few days and the enhanced rainfall belt is likely to advance over the metropolis and rest of Maharashtra during June 23-26.

A depression over West Central Bay of Bengal, about 430 kms South East of Gopalpur will cause heavy to very heavy rains in Orissa during the next 48 hours.

Local cautionary signal has been hoisted at number three at Gopalpur,Puri and Paradip ports ports and the fishermen have been advised not to venture out into the open sea.

Andhra Pradesh will also experience widespread rainfall in the next two days under the influence of a well-marked low pressure area over East Central Bay and adjoining West Central Bay of Bengal.

The South-West monsoon was active over Kerala with rain occuring at many places and Lakshadweep.

Depression over West Central Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify further by tomorrow afternoon and cause heavy rains in many places in Chennai, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Mercury level in North and Northwest increased but still remained below normal. Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Union territory of Chandigarh experienced a considerable increase in the temperatures today.

Parts of Himachal Pradesh also reported increase in the mercury level with Una recording 37.2 degrees and Bhuntar in Kullu disrict 34.0 degrees Celsius.

Rain continued to lash the Udaipur district in Rajasthan. In Sriganganagar, which reported five deaths in rain related incidents, army has been called in to help the district administration in draining out the rainwater collected due to heavy showers in the past four days.

In the national capital, though it was the third day without rain in a row after several spells of pre-monsoon showers over the last weekend, the weather continued to be pleasant owing to cool easterlies.

The temperature at 33.1 degrees C was seven degrees below normal with weather alternating between sunny and partly cloudy and is expected to remain such in the coming three to four days.

An extremely low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal will introduce Southwest monsoon in Madhya Pradesh on June 23.

UNI