Heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning lashed the Capital on Friday. The downpour that started the previous night at about 11 p.m. continued in spurts throughout the night with some areas experiencing hail. By 8-30 p.m. on Friday, a total of 32 mm of rain was recorded, a record downpour since 2003 when a total of 15.6 mm of rain was recorded in January.
The freak weather has been attributed to western disturbances by the India Metrological Department. The unseemly rain also resulted in several cancelled outdoor events and threw life out of gear for many people unused to rain in January. “ I did not even know where my umbrella was, I didn’t even have my windcheater around, I was in a real fix because I needed to get to work, which I finally did, late, shivering and wet,” said Jyoti, an office-goer in Connaught Place who had to travel from Lajpat Nagar.
A host of traffic woes, water-logging and other issues mostly associated with monsoon was also experienced by the Capital. Vehicular movement was affected in several areas, including ITO, Vikas Marg and South Extension. Water logging was also reported from several areas. Many parts of the Delhi were also left without power supply.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi received 16 complaints of water-logging and two of fallen trees from across the Capital.
The minimum temperature inched up to 11.3 degree Celsius, four degrees above normal and up from Thursday's 9.7 degrees Celsius. This encouraged citizens to shed off their layered clothing and take a chance with a single jacket or sweater. “ I had only just stopped using my trench coat a few days ago and today I did not even carry a jacket, I just wore a single pullover,” said Fathima, a woman in her Twenties who was shopping in Connaught Place.
The temperatures will oscillate between a maximum of 16 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 7 degrees Celsius.
ADVERTISEMENT