At least 6 dead in UP due to heavy rains, hailstorm

Lucknow/New Delhi: Intermittent unseasonal rains and hailstorm in Uttar Pradesh since Friday has led to the deaths of at least 6 persons in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district and close to 80 per cent of the crops in several areas like Bulandshahr, Gorakhpur and Saharanpur have been destroyed.

Thousands of acres of crops belonging to dozens of farmers have been destroyed due to hailstorm. Distraught villagers have demanded compensation from the administration.

Meanwhile, according to the weather agency, wet weather conditions over the national Capital is likely to continue throughout Saturday.

The minimum temperature in Delhi on Saturday was recorded at 14 degrees while the maximum temperature could reach up to 27 degrees. The maximum temperature could see a drop by 1 degree Celsius since Friday.

On Saturday, Shimla, Dalhousie and higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh received fresh snowfall intensifying the cold wave conditions in the state. "Popular tourist spots Shimla, Kufri, Chail and Dalhousie received overnight snowfall, while lower hill experienced rains, plummeting the minimum and maximum temperatures by several notches," Manmohan Singh, director of the Meteorological office here, said.