Atleast 19-persons were killed and 48 injured due to dust storm and lightning in various parts of UP, the state relief commissioner said. "While six-persons died in Mainpuri, three-persons each died in Etah and Kasganj and one-each in one-each in Moradabad, Badaun, Pilibhit, Mathura, Kannauj, Sambhal and Ghaziabad in incidents related to dust storm and lightning," official-data released by the UP relief commissioner said.

The mercury came down by a notch in the national capital on Thursday, bringing some relief from the sweltering heat, with the weatherman forecasting rain, thunderstorm or dust storm later in the day. The maximum temperature is likely to settle at 41 degrees Celsius. The weatherman has forecast partly cloudy sky with the possibility of rain, thunderstorm or dust storm.

A global dust storm that enshrouded Mars -- halting operations for NASA's Opportunity rover -- continues to abate, raising scientists' hopes to hear back from the 15-year-old, solar-powered probe. Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in the US believe that the rover will soon receive enough sunlight to automatically initiate recovery procedures, if it is not damaged.