Heat wave continues in north India, kills 25 in UP

Searing heat claimed 25 lives in Uttar Pradesh where mercury soared beyond 47 degrees Wednesday despite isolated rains even as hot and humid conditions held sway in most parts of north India including Delhi where the temperature hovered over 43 deg C.

UP was the worst hit with 25 people dying of heat stroke across the state over the last couple of days, even though Bahraich and Gorakhpur received showers since last evening, official sources said.

While six people died in Orai which was the hottest at 47.2 degrees C, four deaths were reported from Etawah, three each from Muzaffar Nagar and Jhansi, two each from Jaunpur, Hamirpur, Mahoba and one each from Badaun, Maharajganj and Basti, they said.

While Gorakhpur received 12.4 mm of rainfall, Bahraich had 8.2 mm of showers.

Delhi, which has been experiencing gruelling heat for the last few days, continued to reel under hot and humid conditions with the maximum hovering over 43 deg C, five degrees above normal.

The humidity levels were high in the city, oscillating between 51 and 20 per cent.

Met office has forecast partly cloudy sky with light rains or thundery development at isolated places towards evening or night tomorrow.

Though the mercury dipped by a few notches in Rajasthan, it was hot enough with Kota being the hottest at 43.9 degrees Celsius.