Northern states sizzle

Three women cover their faces to avoid the scorching sun on a hot day in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, yesterday. Heat wave conditions also intensified across Punjab and Haryana yesterday with the maximum temperature crossing the 40-degree Celsius mark, officials said. Hisar town in Haryana was the hottest in the region yesterday with the maximum temperature hitting a high of 42.8 degrees Celcius. This was six degrees above normal, the Met Office said. Narnaul in Haryana recorded a high of 42.5 degrees, six degrees above normal.