NEW DELHI: The unbearable heat wave conditions persisted in many States across the country on Saturday with the maximum temperature remaining two to seven notches above normal even as Hisar in Haryana blazed at 44.4 degrees Celsius.

Day temperatures were appreciably above normal in all northern states, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand as well as parts of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura.

The maximum temperature continued to hover above 40 degrees in most pockets of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. After Hisar, Amritsar reeled under a high of 43.8 degrees, seven notches above normal, while Patiala and Ludhiana sizzled at an identical high of 41.5. In Himachal Pradesh, Una was the hottest place with the mercury reading 41 degrees. Capital Shimla had a high of 26.5.

Forty people have died across the country since the onset of summer. While 12 have died in West Bengal, there have been 10 deaths in Orissa, seven in Jharkhand, eight in Uttar Pradesh and three in Gujarat. - PTI

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