Ranchi, adjoining areas lashed by thunderstorm, mercury still

A squall accompanied by thunderstorm today lashed Ranchi and its adjoining areas, bringing down the temperature in the city but the mercury still remained 40 degrees Celsius plus in several parts of Jharkhand.
The squall hit the city around 1.45 pm, the MeT department said.
When contacted, Professor/Chairman (Department of Agriculture, Physics and Meteorology) of the Birsa Agricultural University, A Wadood said, "A wind speed up to 150 km per hour hit Kanke, situated on the outskirts of Ranchi, for 10 minutes followed by heavy rains."
He said moderate rains were also experienced in the adjoining districts of Ramgarh, Hazaribagh and some parts of Chatra, bringing down the temperature below 40 degrees Celsius in these districts.

"But the heat wave continued in Santhal Parganas and other districts," he added.
Reports from Gumla, Latehar and Khunti districts said it was a cloudy afternoon.
There is no official confirmation on heat-related deaths this season.