Five killed as rain lashes Punjab, Haryana

At least five people were killed when their house collapsed in Punjab's Amritsar district Friday as moderate to heavy rainfall lashed most parts of the state and neigbouring Haryana Friday, officials said.

The victims, from village Jassu Nangal near Amritsar, belonged to one family, district officials said. All the five were buried alive in the house collapse, while two others were injured in the incident.

Amritsar received 118 mm of rain, the heaviest in the region, in the past few hours, Met officials said. The maximum temperature here was 25.4 degrees, 10 degrees below normal.

Patiala town received 53 mm rain with its maximum temperature being 27.1 degrees, six degrees below normal.

Chandigarh recorded a high of 27.6 degrees, five degrees below normal with intermittent showers throughout the day.

Ambala in Haryana received 51 mm of rain.

In some areas, the rain was accompanied with strong winds. Farmers were worried as such weather could damage the standing paddy crop.

Met officials said that the rainfall will continue across both states till Saturday.