Heat wave toll rises to eight

The intense heat wave continued with the hot surface winds sweeping across the region with maximum temperature of 48.2 degrees celsius, recorded at Palam observatory, making it difficult for Delhities to commute.

Patiala, in Punjab was the second hottest place to record 47 degrees celsius, six degrees above normal. The temperature at Ludhiana was four degrees above normal to scale 46.2 degrees Celsius followed by Amritsar 45.7, three degrees above normal and Jalandhar 43.5 degrees Celsius. In Haryana, Hisar was the hottest at 46.9 degrees Celsius, five degrees above normal, followed by Rohtak 46.1 degrees Celsius, Karnal 44.9 five degrees above normal and Ambala 43.7 three degrees above normal. In Himachal Pradesh, Sundernagar recorded the highest at 40.4 degrees Celsius, followed by Nahan at 38.8 degrees celsius, Bhunter 37.4, Dharamshala 37, five degrees above normal and Solan 36.5 degrees Celsius. The temperature in the capital town of Shimla climed seven degrees above normal top record at 30.5 degrees Celsius.

Jammu was hot at 43.8 degrees celsius, four degrees above normal, while Srinagar experienced 28 degrees celsius which was two degrees above normal. The weather office predicted light to moderate rain at some places in Himachal Pradesh and duststorms or thunderstorms with light to moderate rain at a few places in Punjab and Haryana during the next 24 hours.

It also predicted that the heat wave is likely to continue for at least two more days inthe entire North-West region of the country with no major change inclimatic conditions.