New Delhi, Sep 23 (PTI) Two persons were killed in a lightning strike in Uttar Pradesh and as many people died after getting stuck inside a lift of a high-rise building because of waterlogging caused by overnight rains in Mumbai, while most parts of northern India experienced dry and sultry weather on Wednesday.

Heat and humidity continued to trouble residents of the national capital amid lack of rains. The maximum temperature in Delhi settled at 36.5 degrees Celsius, three notches more than the normal.

Also Read | Suresh Angadi Dies of COVID-19, Say Reports; Union MoS Was Hospitalised at Delhi AIIMS.

Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the India Meteorological Department's regional forecasting centre, said any precipitation is unlikely in Delhi till the withdrawal of the monsoon.

There has been no rain in Delhi for two weeks. The capital has recorded only three rainy days this September, the lowest since 2016.

Also Read | India’s Private Airlines Appeal Supreme Court Not to Make Refunds Mandatory, Fear Airlines May Collapse.

Rains eluded neighbouring Haryana and Punjab also, with maximum temperatures hovering above normal limits in the two states.

A major landslide, triggered by heavy rains, on the National Highway 10 has cut off Sikkim from the rest of the country.

Officials at the site said that it will take at least a day or two to clear the debris completely.

Rains also lashed north Bengal, with Kumargram in Alipurduar recording the highest rainfall at 25 cm in 24 hours till 8.30 am on Wednesday.

The weather office has forecast heavy rainfall in north Bengal till Friday, warning that it may cause rivers to go in spate, while landslides can occur in the hilly regions in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, regional MeT director G K Das said.

Heavy rains lashed Mumbai overnight, leaving many parts of the metropolis in waist-deep water and disrupting rail and road traffic, officials said.

Due to the heavy downpour and waterlogging, the Bombay High Court suspended hearings, including all virtual hearings, scheduled for the day.

According to police, two watchmen died in the Agripada area after getting stuck inside a lift in the basement of a high rise building because of waterlogging.

Two persons were killed and nine others got injured in separate incidents of lightning strike in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi.

Light to moderate rains occurred at many places over eastern UP and at isolated places over western part of the state in the past 24 hours.

Heavy to extremely heavy rains occurred at isolated places over eastern UP during the period, the weather office said.

Monsoon is likely to start withdrawing from west Rajasthan from September 28 onwards, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Rajendra Jenamani, a scientist with IMD's National Weather Forecasting Centre, said the northwest India division received 53 per cent less rainfall than normal, while peninsular India recorded 75 per cent more rainfall in September.

The IMD has issued a red warning for eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for September 24.

Fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls are very likely over Konkan and Goa and Gujarat on September 23; Assam and Meghalaya on September 23-24; sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, East Uttar Pradesh from September 23-25; and Bihar from September 23-26, the IMD said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)