CHANDIGARH, June 4 (PTI) — A powerful storm accompanied by moderate rain which swept across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh yesterday and today, claimed 11 lives in the regions including six children, and threw normal life out of gear with the mercury plummeting to three degrees below normal at a few places in the region.

Two school children in Muktsar and a farm hand in Bathinda were killed as a result of high-intensity storm which hit areas of Punjab yesterday, the police said identifying the victims as Gurdeep Kaur, Jaspreet Kaur and Tara Singh.

The day turned into night in Chandigarh and its surrounding areas this morning where howling duststorm along with moderate rain played havoc and threw normal life out of gear. Trees in hundreds were uprooted, power supply broke down and telephone lines also went dead at several places in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh following the powerful storm.

Ludhiana received 46.2 mm of rainfall followed by Amritsar 26 mm and Rohtak in Haryana 14.2 mm, a Met office spokesman said.

ROHTAK: Six persons — two children and four women — were killed as a result of lightning caused by the rain and duststorm in the district on Saturday night.

Three women and a girl who were working in a field near Sahargopalpur village, about 12 km from here, died on the spot when lightning struck them. Three of the victims belonged to one family. They have been identified as Neelam (6), her mother Babli (30) and her grandmother Manohari (50) Anita, a resident of the same village, was struck by lightning while she was returning home after fetching drinking water from a well.

In another such incident, a youth was ‘injured’ due to lightning in nearby Madina village. He has been admitted to the PGI MS hospital.

A pregnant woman and her four-year-old son died when the wall of their house caved in due to the duststorm on the Hisar road on Saturday night.

The woman has been identified as Santosh and her son Baljit. Santosh was reportedly cooking food and her son was playing alongside her when the mishap took place.

JALANDHAR: Two kids were killed and a number of others injured in separate incidents, which took place due to a duststorm which lashed the region on Sunday morning.

Bunti (12) and Manpreet Kaur (5), daughter of Balwinder Singh of Kasochahl village in Kapurthala district, were killed when an Anandpur Sahib-bound matador in which they were travelling along with nearly 10 villagers got embroiled in high intensity winds and duststorm and jumped over a footpath in Rama Mandi on the outskirts of the city. Two passengers received injuries in the incident. The bodies of the kids have been sent for a post-mortem.

In another incident, a young cyclist received injury in one of his eyes when he lost his balance in the storm and his cycle rammed into a cart near Lamba Pind. Two persons received minor injuries when branches of trees fell on them on the Jalandhar-Nakodar road.

HOSHIARPUR: Hoshiarpur and its surrounding areas were lashed by a heavy duststorm followed by torrential rain on Sunday causing a considerable fall in the temperature. The storm uprooted several trees as a result of which electric and water supply was disrupted in many localities in the city. The market were flooded and water entered many houses located in the low-laying areas. However, people heaved a sigh of relief from the scorching heat.

PHAGWARA: A howling duststorm lashed this area on Sunday.

The day turned into night and vehicles could be seen moving with their headlights on. A shed and a compound wall of the godowns of Bawa Industries at Jamalpur village collapsed reportedly causing a loss of Rs 1 lakh to the owners. The tin roof of Lovely Autos on the GT Road was blown off by the duststorm.

Trees in hundreds were uprooted and broken on the Phagwara-Banga road and the GT Road disrupting traffic.

Power supply was disrupted for nearly five hours in the area. The downpour, however, provided respite from the sultry heat.

PHILLAUR: Rail traffic on the Jalandhar-Pathankot and Jalandhar-Nakodar rail lines remained suspended for several hours owing to falling of several trees on the tracks due to a high-velocity duststorm which lashed the area on Sunday morning. The Jammu-bound 3151 Up Sealdah Express, 2403 Up Malwa Express and the Ludhiana-bound 6032 Madras Express were halted near the Mukerian railway statin.

SHIMLA: Shimla and its adjoining areas were lashed by sharp showers accompanied by thunder and lightning, bringing a considerable fall in the temperature.

The fashionable Mall Road and the Ridge, the centre of tourist activity, wore a deserted look. Tourists preferred to stay indoors.

Upper areas of Shimla district, including tourist resorts of Wildflower Hall, Kufri, Naldehra and Narkanda, also experienced rain.

Reports of rain were also received from Solan, Mandi, Kullu and Dharamsala.

HAMIRPUR: Thundershowers accompanied by a squall lashed various parts of Hamirpur district on Saturday night and Sunday morning. The rain brought down the temperature and provided relief from the scorching heat. Power, water supply and telecom services were badly hit.

Reports from various parts of the district said the squall caused widespread damage to trees. Scores of trees were uprooted.