Thunderstorms kill 16 in Uttar Pradesh; heat wave continues in North India

Thunderstorms killed 16 people in Uttar Pradesh today even as heat and humidity continued to wear down people in northern India where temperatures soared at several places but fell marginally in Delhi.

In the national capital, where the mercury yesterday shot up to the season's highest of 44.1 deg C, the maximum temperature settled at 42.3 deg C.

Sixteen people were killed in separate incidents as dust and thunderstorm swept Siddhartnagar, Ambedkarnagar and Kanpur districts of Uttar Pradesh.

Thunderstorm accompanied with sharp showers, however, brought down the heat in those areas.

In Punjab and Haryana, heat wave intensified further with Hisar recording 46.2 deg C.

Hisar, which had yesterday registered a high of 45.2 deg C, today recorded its hottest day of the season so far as maximum soared by six degrees above normal level, the MeT said.

In Amritsar, the maximum temperature rose to 45.2 deg C, up six notches -- also the season's highest. Ludhiana, too, saw the day temperature soar to 43.7 deg C, up five notches.

Chandigarh recorded a hot day at 40.2 deg C, up two notches.

Among other places in Haryana, Bhiwani recorded 44 deg C and Karnal experienced 39.6 deg C.

Churu remained the hottest place in Rajasthan with a maximum of 46.7 deg C followed by Sriganganagar at 46.6 deg C, according to the MeT office.

The day temperature in western districts in Uttar Pradesh, including Agra and Meerut, remained above normal with Jhansi remaining the hottest place at 46 deg C.