Dust storm kills 15 in UP, rain in Punjab, HP

At least 15 people died on Friday as a dust storm accompanied by downpour hit parts of northern region, which brought down the temperatures sharply.

All the casualties were reported from Uttar Pradesh where a dust storm claimed nine lives in Jaunpur district, four in Ballia and one each in Ghazipur and Varanasi.

National capital New Delhi too experienced a dust storm as the maximum temperature settled at 35.6 C, five notches below normal, and the minimum was recorded at 28.6 degree Celsius, three notches above normal.

However, the humidity was on the higher side with the maximum at 63 per cent and minimum at 48 per cent.

Meanwhile, heavy rains dipped temperature considerably in the states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

Chandigarh was drenched by 14 MM rainfall while Ludhiana and Patiala received 3 MM each and Karnal 0.5 MM. Hisar, where the maximum was hovering between 43 and 45 degrees for the past several days, settled at a high of 38.9 C followed by Bhiwani 36 C, Patiala 32.1 C, Chandigarh 30.8 C, Ludhiana 30 and Karnal 26.8 C.

In Himachal Pradesh, higher reaches recorded moderate snowfall while the lower areas were lashed by thunderstorm and heavy rains, resulting in sharp fall in temperature. State capital Shimla recorded 20 MM rainfall as the maximum temperature plummeted to 18 C, a drop of ten degrees.

Bilaspur, Kahu Kandaghat, Dharampur, Ghumarwin and Naina Devi areas too recorded showers. Fresh snowfall in Dhauladhar ranges saw mercury dipping by seven degrees in Dharamsala where the maximum stood at 27 degrees.

However, heatwave prevailed in the desert state of Rajasthan where Kota was reeling at 43.4 C. Elsewhere in the state, Barmer recorded a maximum of 41.4 C followed by Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur and Churu at 41 degrees each.

Pink City of Jaipur experienced a dust storm in the afternoon affecting normal life.