Monsoon covers entire country, 12 days before normal date; 10 deaths reported in lightning strikes

New Delhi: The monsoon covered the entire country on Friday, 12 days before the normal date of coverage, as some regions received heavy rainfall, while Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand cumulatively reported 10 deaths in lightning strikes.

"Southwest Monsoon has advanced into remaining parts of Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab and thus it has covered the entire country today, the 26th June 2020," the IMD said in its special Daily Weather Report.

It said the normal date for monsoon to cover the entire country is 8th July. "Therefore, the Southwest Monsoon this year has covered the entire country 12 days prior to normal date."

In the recent past, such early coverage of Southwest Monsoon over the entire country occurred in 2013, when it covered the entire country on June 16, it said.

During past 24 hours, there has been fairly widespread rainfall activity over West Rajasthan and adjoining Punjab & Haryana in association with the cyclonic circulation at lower tropospheric levels over northeast Rajasthan, it said in a bulletin at 5 pm.

"Considering southwest monsoon onset and advance over the country as a whole, there has been normal progress over south and east India, about a week delay advance over northeast India and about 7-12 days early advance over central & northwest India," it said.

The early advance over the central & northwest India was facilitated by formation of a low pressure area over Bay of Bengal which moved west-northwestwards and another cyclonic circulation over central India, it said.

Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning very likely at a few places over East Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand during next four-five next days, the IMD said.

Meanwhile, the national capital received light rains on Friday. The Safdarjung Observatory recorded a maximum of 36.8 degrees Celsius and traces of rainfall.

Light to heavy rainfall was recorded in parts of Rajasthan where Lohawat in Jodhpur recorded a maximum 7 cm precipitation till Friday morning.

Osian (Jodhpur) and Kushalgarh (Banswara) recorded 6 cm and 5 cm rainfall, respectively. Several other places recorded below 5 cm rains during the period.

Churu, Dabok (Udaipur) and Jaipur also received 16.2 mm, 7.3 mm and 3.2 mm rainfall till Friday evening since morning, according to the Met department in Jaipur.

Meanwhile, the day temperatures remained below 42.2 degree Celsius, recorded by Bikaner.

The Uttar Pradesh government revised the death toll in Thursday lightning strikes to 30, even as monsoon picked up pace in the state on Friday, bringing rains and thundershowers at most places.

On Thursday, the government had said 24 people died in lightning strikes in the state.

"The death toll in lightning strikes in various parts of the state on Thursday reached to 30. Chief Minister (Yogi Adityanath) has directed officials to raise awareness among people about precautions to be taken to save themselves from such incidents," Additional Chief Secretary (Information) Awanish Kumar Awasthi said on Friday.

According to the MET office, chief amount of rainfall in the state was recorded in Salempur - 12 cm, Elginbridge - 9 cm, Fursatganj - 8 cm, Chandradeepghat - 7 cm, and Ramnagar (Barabanki), Fatehpur (Barabanki), Ankinghat and Balrampur -- 6 cm each.

Churk, Safipur, Jaunpur, Akbarpur (Ambedkarnagar), Kannauj, Sultanpur (FM) recorded 5 cm rainfall each

Four people were killed and six others injured on Friday in lightning strikes in Jharkhand's Palamu district, police said.

Of the four, one died outside his house, while another on a road in Chhatarpur in the district.

In Nawadih, one person died and six others got injured when they were struck by lightning as they stood under a tree during a downpour.

Another man died while he was grazing his cattle in the same area, the police said.

The injured were rushed to nearby health centres, the police said.

The maximum temperatures remained below normal limits in Haryana and Punjab on Friday, as the monsoon covered remaining parts of the two states.

However, there was not much rainfall activity in the two states. Meteorological stations did not record rainfall.

Chandigarh recorded a high of 35.4 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal limits, according to the Meteorological Department here.

In Haryana, Narnaul's maximum temperature settled at 30.7 degrees Celsius, nine notches below normal, while Hisar recorded a high of 35.2 degrees Celsius, five notches below normal. TEAM TIR TIR