New Delhi, Jun 25 (PTI) While monsoon reached the national capital on Thursday, two days earlier than the usual date of June 27, over 80 people were killed in Bihar and at least 24 in Uttar Pradesh and many others injured after being struck by lightning during thunderstorms.

The India Meteorological Department on Thursday declared the onset of monsoon here but said that rains are likely to remain subdued over Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh over the next few days.

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It said the monsoon has further advanced into "some more parts of Rajasthan, remaining parts of Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, entire Delhi, some parts of Haryana and most parts of Punjab".

However, rainfall activity over Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh is likely to remain weak for the next three days, said Sathi Devi, the head of National Weather Forecasting Centre (NWFC).

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Bihar's disaster management department Thursday said thunderstorms and lightning wrought havoc in the state over the past two days, claiming 83 lives, leaving many injured and causing widespread damage to property.

In Uttar Pradesh, at least 24 people were killed and 12 others injured on Thursday due to incidents of lightning in various districts of the state, officials said in Lucknow.

Mahesh Palawat of Skymet Weather, a private weather forecasting service, said the monsoon has reached Delhi but the rains will remain subdued.

"We can expect light, patchy rains on Thursday evening and Friday. Dry weather will prevail on June 27 and 28," he said.

However, the overall monsoon is likely to be normal in Delhi this year.

Normally, the wind system reaches Delhi on June 27. From this year, the IMD revised the onset date for monsoon. Earlier, the date for monsoon's arrival in the national capital was June 29. 

Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the regional forecasting centre of the IMD, said the northern limit of the monsoon now passes through Nagor, Alwar, Delhi, Karnal and Ferozepur.

The southwest monsoon advanced further to cover most parts of Punjab and some parts of Haryana on Thursday, the Meteorological Department in Chandigarh said.

The wind system had reached the northern parts of Punjab, and Chandigarh, on Wednesday, bringing rains at many places.

“The monsoon has advanced into most parts of Punjab and some parts of Haryana. The northern limit of monsoon passes through Nagore, Alwar, Delhi, Karnal and Ferozepur,” the MeT department said.

The maximum temperatures settled a few notches below normal limits in the two states and at their common capital Chandigarh.

Chandigarh recorded a high of 34.1 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal limit.

In Haryana, Narnaul's maximum settled at 34.8 degrees Celsius, five notches below normal, while Hisar recorded a high of 36.5 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal.

Karnal, which received light rain during the day, recorded a high of 35 degrees Celsius, a notch below normal. Ambala recorded a maximum of 34.7 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal.

Patiala in Punjab recorded a high of 35 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal.

Amritsar and Ludhiana, which received light showers, recorded maximum temperatures at 33.5 degrees Celsius 33.2 degrees Celsius and, respectively.

The MeT has forecast light to moderate rain or thundershowers at isolated places in Haryana and Punjab over the next two days.

Meanwhile, thunderstorms wrought havoc in Bihar claiming 83 lives, leaving many injured and causing widespread damage to property, the state's disaster management department said Thursday.

According to a statement put out by the department, a total of 83 people have died in 23 districts of the state upon being struck by lightning, with Gopalganj accounting for the maximum number of 13 casualties.

Reports from the districts said more than 20 people were injured and admitted to hospitals upon receiving injuries in lightning which has caused widespread damage to houses and belongings of the residents.

The weather department has predicted that the inclement weather could persist for some time to come.

An IMD release said thunderstorms were likely to lash all the 38 districts of the state over the next few days along with "heavy to very heavy rainfall" in the northern, flood-prone, districts bordering Nepal.

At least 24 people were killed and 12 others injured on Thursday due to incidents of lightning in various districts of the state, officials said.

Earlier on Wednesday three persons, including a 12-year-old girl, were killed and a woman was injured in separate incidents of lightning in Banda and Lalitpur districts.

(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)