89 killed in UP in thunderstorm

New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) Latest reports from Uttar Pradesh say 89 people were killed in yesterday's thunderstorm.

Chief Minister Mayawati has announced an ex-gratia of Rs one lakh each to the family members of those killed in the thunderstorm in the state.

Five people were also killed in the National Capital in the 140 kmph duststorm which uprooted trees and hoardings.

two People were killed and at least 150 cattle charred to death as fire broke out following strong winds in Gwalior.

The fire broke out following strong winds in Gwalior-Chambal region in Madhya Pradesh last night, police said.

More than 100 houses in villages falling under Bhind district's Ater, Mhow and Gohad police stations were gutted due to strong winds yesterday. Bovine animals and goats were charred to death.

In another incident, about 21 houses gutted when a fire broke out in three villages in Tikamgarh district and a 77-year-old man was crushed to death by a water tanker.

Eight houses in Goab village, 12 in Paligaon and one in Budhor village were gutted.

Meanwhile, people groaned under intense heat in Hissar, which continued to be the hottest place in Haryana, recording the maximum temperature at 41.7 degrees celsius, two degrees above normal.

The maximum temperature also rose at Ambala and Karnal, recording 38.0 and 38.4 degrees, respectively.

Rain lashed parts of Haryana, including Hissar, Karnal and Bhivani, overnight. Rohtak experienced moderate rainfall, recording 18.6 mm till this morning.

The mercury soared in Punjab, touching 41.0 degrees, three degrees above normal, at Amritsar. Ludhiana and Patiala showed 39.6 degrees each.

The mercury also increased in many parts of Himachal Pradesh.

Una in lower hills recorded the maximum at 37.2 degrees, Bhuntar 31.8 and Sundernagar 33.2 degrees.

Dharamsala, where the mercury dipped following rain, recorded the maximum at 29.6 degrees. The temperature, however, remained static at at 23.2 degrees at Shimla.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas were also under the impact of scorching heat with the mercury rising to 38.0 degrees.

The heat wave, sweeping parts of Maharashtra, continued unabated with Nagpur recording maximum temperature of 43.3 degrees, making the city the hottest place in the state.

In Tamil Nadu, Chennai recorded the highest temperature so far this summer with the mercury raising to 42.1 degrees.

Rain is likely to occur at a few places in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, West Bengal, Sikkim, Bihar and Haryana.

Day temperatures were markedly above normal in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya. The temperatures were appreciably above normal in some parts of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Jammu and Kashmir and Tamil Nadu.

Rain or thundershowers have occurred at many places in Haryana, Andaman and Nicobar Island and at a few places in Assam, Meghalaya, Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar, west Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, west Rajasthan.

UNI Team BDP BD2035