Sunday 17 / November / 2024
New Delhi: Temperatures soared in north, central and peninsular regions of the country on Monday with Delhi witnessing the season's hottest day and south Indian state of Telangana and east Indian state of Odisha together recording 36 more sunstroke deaths even as over a thousand houses were damaged in thunderstorm in north-east Indian state of Nagaland.
The plains in the north simmered under the blazing sun with Hisar in north Indian state of Haryana being the hottest in the country at 45.5 degrees Celsius.
It was followed closely by Banda in north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh at 45.2 degrees.
Heatwave conditions, however, subsided in east Indian state of Bihar, which had a cloudy day, and Gangetic West Bengal, which is likely to be hit by thunderstorms in the next few days.
The national capital sizzled at 44 degrees Celsius, the hottest day of the season so far. The minimum was 23.8 degrees Celsius.
In south Indian state of Telangana, the sunstroke toll since the beginning of this summer climbed to 178 from the last count of 143 reported on Friday as heatwave conditions prevailed in many parts of Khammam and Karimnagar districts of the state.
"These deaths were confirmed by a three-member committee. Nalgonda district tops the chart with 53 deaths, followed by Mahbubnagar with 33," an official in the disaster management's control room said.
The maximum temperature of 45 degree Celsius was recorded at Ramagundam. Rain occurred at isolated places over the state and Kondurg in Mahabubnagar district received 3cm of rainfall, IMD said.
Odisha reported another heatwave-related death, taking the toll to 14.
Mercury soared in western parts of the state with coal town of Talcher recording the maximum of 44.6 degrees.
Jharsuguda was hot at 44.3, followed by Bhawani Patna and Bolangir at 44.2 and Angul at 44.1 degrees.
"The number of unconfirmed sunstroke deaths has increased to 140, of which 14 have been confirmed," the Special Relief Commissioner of the state said.
In the east, thunderstorm coupled with heavy rain damaged over 1000 houses, injured two persons and snapped electricity supply in five districts in Nagaland, the State Disaster Management Authority said.
Heavy rain and thunderstorm were reported in Chuchuyimlang areas of Mokokchung district besides, Longleng, Phek, Wokha and Mon districts.
Meanwhile, landslide triggered by heavy rains cut off road communication to Hayuliang in remote Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh but there was no report of any loss of life. Heavy rains have lashed Anjaw for the past 26 days. Official sources said Hayuliang has remained cut off since Sunday.
Landslides at several places destroyed three government quarters and the cement concrete steps at Chingraliang village. Heatwave conditions in Gangetic West Bengal subsided after several days of above 40 degree Celsius temperature bringing much-needed relief to people, with the weatherman forecasting thunder squalls in the region during the next few days.
