5 killed, 7 wounded in J&K avalanche

Heatwave hits Odisha

Five people were killed and seven others injured when an avalanche hit a minibus on the Bhaderwah-Basholi highway in Jammu and Kashmir.  This comes even as the mercury levels crossed the 40 degrees Celcius mark in at least 15 places in Odisha.

The national capital witnessed another sunny day on Thursday, but the mercury settled at a normal level of 39 degrees Celsius. The city also received 1.8 mm rainfall overnight, but there was no rain during the day. The weatherman has predicted a clear day on Friday, with the possibility of the mercury touching the 40 degrees  mark.

Meanwhile, the avalanche that occurred in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district hit the vehicle on its way to Bhaderwah from Bani and shoved it down a 1500-feet gorge, according to BRO workers clearing the snow and debris near Chattar Gali pass, 38 kms from Bhaderwah. The bus carried 12 people.

In most parts of Odisha, heatwave condition intensified as Titlagarh remained the hottest place at 44 degrees Celsius. In Punjab and Haryana, there was some relief from heat conditions as the maximum temperatures remained below normal limits in most parts of the two states.

Hisar hottest
Hisar was the hottest place in the two states with a maximum temperature of 39.9 degrees Celsius, a notch below normal.

Barmer was the hottest in Rajasthan at 44.3 degrees Celsius, followed by Jaisalmer at 42.6 degrees, both near normal levels.

In Tamil Nadu, temperature hovered between 35 and 39 degree Celsius in most places including Chennai, except for Karur that blazed at 40 degrees.

A senior official from the Regional Meteorological Department in Chennai told Deccan Herald that easterly winds have brought down the heatwave conditions.

Meanwhile, rainfall occurred at a few places in the southern districts in the last 24 hours, with Tirunelveli recording the highest of 60 mm.