Weather claims 10 in MP

Bhopal, Jun 18 (UNI) The weather wreaked havoc in northwestern Madhya Pradesh where ten people were killed and seven injured in rain-related incidents overnight.

Five people died and four were hurt in Morena district and five were killed in Gwalior divisional headquarters even as life was thrown out of gear with rain causing traffic jams.

Rasule (55), his sons Shaukeen (10) and Seki (13) were asleep in their house when a wall of their neighbour Ramdayal Rathore's house collapsed on them this morning at Morena's Mahuagadi village. All three died while Ilahi (75) was injured and hospitalised at Porsa.

Shakuntala (8) and Ramwati (60) were killed when a stone slab in their house fell on them last night at Morena's Bharatpura. Preetam (8), Kajal (10) and Kamla (35) were injured and had to be hospitalised.

Five people, including a woman and three children, were killed and three injured when rain caused a wall collapse in Gwalior yesterday afternoon.

''A wall of Mr Santosh Shukla's flat in Lakshman Talaiyya area collapsed on a neighbouring flat (of Meera Batham),'' said Superintendent of Police Vijay Kumar Suryavanshi.

The deceased were identified as Neelu (8), Prithvi (8), Pooja (12), Rajni (45) and Chhotelal (50). Sultan, Manku and Poonam were hospitalised.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's programme scheduled today at Shivpuri district's Karaira had to be cancelled owing to inclement weather. Incessant rain caused waterlogging in low-lying residential areas.

With monsoonal activity increasing in Madhya Pradesh, heavy rain has been predicted in the state's north-eastern parts -- Gwalior, Chambal, Sagar and Rewa divisions -- over the next 24 hours. Gwalior and Chambal divisions witnessed heavy precipitation last night.

''A low-pressure area has formed in the vicinity of Bihar and West Bengal,'' a Regional Meteorological Centre spokesman said.

Overnight rain figures were Tikamgarh 11 cm, Shivpuri nine, Naugaon, Khajuraho, Datia and Gwalior three cm each. The state capital recorded a high of 30.7 degrees Celsius.

UNI Team-AC PD KP2111