Heavy monsoon rains lashed Kerala, leaving many low lying areas waterlogged. (PTI file photo)
Heavy monsoon rains today lashed Kerala, flooding low-lying areas in the state, while floods claimed two lives in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu.
The northern states, however, continued to reel under heat wave conditions with Banda in Uttar Pradesh sizzling at 46 degrees.
It was another sultry day for Delhiites with rains eluding the city. The maximum temperature was recorded at 39.6 and the minimum at 26.9 degrees. The weatherman has predicted overcast conditions tomorrow.
Rains and floods claimed two lives in Tamil Nadu, while a flood warning was issued for people living on the banks of two rivers in Kanyakumari district.
A 25-year old contract engineer of a private hospital was swept away in flash floods while taking bath in Rajakamangalam Panri Vaykal (channel). In another incident in the district, a 10-year old boy was swept by floodwaters after he fell into a channel while playing near his house in Marungoor.
The district, adjoining Kerala, where the south-west monsoon is active, received heavy rains accompanied by strong winds and thunder. Kulasekaram and Tiruvattar towns were inundated.
Several low-lying areas in the town were flooded, cutting off traffic and movement of vehicles. The authorities sounded flood alert in Kuzhithurai and Sitraru as both rivers were in spate.
PWD officials said various dams, including the Pechiparai Dam, were fast filling up.
Heavy monsoon rains lashed Kerala, leaving many low lying areas waterlogged. Piravom in Ernakulam district recorded 11 cm of rainfall while Nedumangad in the state capital 8 cm.
Kollam, Vaikom and Kanjirappally in Kottayam district recorded 7 cm of rains each.
In Mankada in Malappuram district, a portion of a school building collapsed under the impact of heavy rains, but a major disaster was averted, on account of it being a Sunday.
In the north, heat wave continued in parts of Rajasthan with Kota recording the highest temperature at 42.2 degree Celsius.
Kota was followed by Jaipur and Jaisalmer, where maximum temperature was recorded at 41.2 degree Celsius and 41 degree Celsius, respectively.
In Uttar Pradesh, hot weather conditions persisted in Allahabad, Varanasi, Kanpur, Bareilly, Jhansi, Faizabad and Lucknow. Banda was the hottest place at 46 degrees. Some parts in the East, however, witnessed moderate rains and thundershowers.