Monsoon reaches Delhi early; over 80 killed in thunderstorms in Bihar
New Delhi: Even as monsoon reached the national capital on Thursday, two days earlier than the usual date of June 27, rains are likely to remain subdued over Delhi, Haryana, and Chandigarh over the next few days.
The India Meteorological Department on Thursday declared the onset of monsoon here and 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).
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 center of the IMD, said the northern limit of the monsoon now passes through Nagor, Alwar, Delhi, Karnal, and Ferozepur.
Monsoon clouds had led to rains in some parts of the city on Wednesday but the weather department had said the onset would be declared on Thursday.
Rainfall data from all weather stations for 24 hours till Thursday 8.30 am is required to declare the onset of monsoon, Srivastava had said.
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 Thursday.
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 more than 80 lives, leaving many injured and causing widespread damage to property since the previous day, 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 the hospital 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.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
