Heat, humidity torment North India

Heat coupled with humid conditions hit normal life in North India as temperatures in Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan breached the 48 degree-mark while two persons were killed in dust storm in Uttar Pradesh.

High humidity made life tough for Delhiites while mercury hovered below the 40 degree-mark in the national capital for the second day in a row on Saturday.

The day temperature settled at 39.8 degrees Celsius, one notch below normal and slightly higher from Friday’s 39.3 degrees Celsius.

The minimum temperature was registered at 29.1 degrees Celsius which was one degree above normal and 3.4 degrees Celsius up from previous day’s 25.7 degrees Celsius. Humidity oscillated between 49 and 73 per cent.

In Uttar Pradesh, two people including a woman were killed and several others injured in dust storm which hit Muzaffarnagar district.  Parts of the state also witnessed showers during the past 24 hours. Bijnore received 4 cm rain, Pratapgarh and Kanpur 1 cm each, the Meteorological department said.

The maximum temperature in the state was recorded in Banda at 41.8 degrees Celsius. There was no let up in the heat wave sweeping across Rajasthan, where Sriganganagar was the hottest place with a maximum of 48.1 degrees Celsius.  The day temperature was seven notches above normal in Sriganganagar where normal life was thrown out of gear.

Churu sizzled at 47.2 deg Celsius whereas Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer and Jaipur recorded maximum of 44.6, 43.5, 43.4 and 42.3 degrees Celsius respectively, according to MeT department here.