Summer gripped the northern part of the country on Sunday as mercury soared to the above normal temperatures in several states.
   Devoid of any respite from the scorching summer heat, Delhi continued to sizzle at 44 degrees Celsius, three degrees above normal, for the second consecutive day on Sunday and 10 people died due to severe heat in Uttar Pradesh, with mercury soaring to 46.6 degree Celsius.
   Even the minimum temperature soared to 30.3 degrees Celsius, two degrees above normal, from Saturday’s 27 degrees. On Saturday, the national capital recorded the seasons hottest day at 44.1 degrees Celsius. As the mercury remained static around the 44 degree mark, the unbearable heat over the weekend forced people to stay indoors.
   However, the Met department has forecast isolated duststorm or thunderstorm over the region during the next 24 hours. In the Northwest region, isolated rain or thundershowers are likely over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The Met department said the excessive heat was mainly due to the fact that disturbances in air flow had moved ahead and there was no circulation of air in the upper reaches in and around the capital.
3 dead
   Meanwhile, three heat-related deaths were reported from Kanpur since Saturday, two each from Varanasi and Kaushambi and one each from Banda, Chitrakoot and Orai districts.
   The maximum temperature in Lucknow was 46.6 degree Celsius, making it the hottest day of the season, Met Department officials said here.
   The temple city of Varanasi also witnessed the hottest day this summer, breaking a 10-year-record with 46.2 degree Celsius.
   The weather is hot and dry and if the heat conditions persist, it will boost the approaching monsoon, a Met official said.